Criminal Records & Police Caution Questions and Answers

Articles on the law and procedure related to the retention and disclosure of police data, criminal records, including police cautions and arrests. Covering topics such as how long records can be retained, when they can be disclosed, what information the police can gather and retain, how police records can impact employment, travel and other areas, and how and when police records and data can be deleted.

20 02, 2019

What is ViSOR?

By |February 20th, 2019|Tags: , |

ViSOR is the Violent and Sex Offender Register, it is used as a Management Tool by UK Law Enforcement, National Offender Management Service (including the Prison Service) along with a wide range of other agencies, to manage, Registerable Sexual Offenders, Other Sexual Offenders, Violent Offenders,  Registerable Terrorist Offenders, Dangerous Offenders, Violent Offenders and Potentially

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18 02, 2019

Can I get a background check on someone?

By |February 18th, 2019|

It is possible to obtain the background records of someone if the police believe they pose a risk  of domestic violence or abuse, or in relation to the safeguarding of children. There are two schemes that the police operate to disclose information; these are the Child Sex Offender Disclosure scheme, and also the Domestic Violence Disclosure

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9 02, 2019

What information does the police hold on me?

By |February 9th, 2019|Tags: , , , , , |

If you have ever been questioned by the police then your details will usually be entered onto a number of systems. If you were arrested then you would have been entered onto the Police National Computer (PNC). Along with being entered on the PNC, the police will also retain "local records". These will be

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6 02, 2019

What Shows up on an Enhanced DBS check?

By |February 6th, 2019|Tags: , , , , , , |

What shows up on an enhanced DBS check is subject to detailed procedural rules. There are certain categories of police disposals and convictions that will automatically be disclosed on a standard and enhanced DBS certificate. Along with disclosing information according to defined categories, an Enhanced DBS Certificate can also include information on the basis

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31 01, 2019

What is the impact of the 2019 Supreme Court criminal records decision?

By |January 31st, 2019|Tags: , |

Yesterday the Supreme Court handed down a judgement with respect to the disclosure of past criminal records. This litigation had been ongoing for a number of years, including numerous claimants and campaign groups. The judgement can be found here: R (on the application of P, G and W) (Respondents) v Secretary of State for

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30 01, 2019

How Long can the Police Keep my DNA and Fingerprints?

By |January 30th, 2019|Tags: , , , , |

If you have been arrested for a recordable offence, then the police will have the right to take a DNA sample and fingerprints. The police can retain your DNA and fingerprints in certain circumstances, but there a number of situations where the police must delete your DNA and fingerprints.

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30 01, 2019

What is a Recordable offence?

By |January 30th, 2019|Tags: , |

A recordable offence is a criminal offence for which the police are required to keep a record on their systems. Broadly this means crimes for which an individual could be sentenced to a term of imprisonment. Most common types of offence are recordable, namely common assault, assault by beating, theft, possession of drugs, and

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28 01, 2019

What is the Police National Database (PND)?

By |January 28th, 2019|Tags: , , , |

The Police National Database (PND) is a separate system from the Police National Computer (PNC). The stated aim of the PND is as follows: The Police National Database (PND) is a national information management system that improves the ability of the Police Service to manage and share intelligence and other operational information, to prevent

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26 01, 2019

What is the Police National Computer (PNC)?

By |January 26th, 2019|Tags: , |

The Police National Computer (PNC) is the principal police database used by the police. The PNC is an amalgam of a number of databases containing text information relevant to policing. Fingerprints and DNA are not placed onto the PNC, but a reference to these items is logged against names files which link to the

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15 01, 2019

Can United States of America Immigration Officials see my Criminal Record?

By |January 15th, 2019|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

If you are planning on travelling to the USA and you have a criminal record, you may be concerned about what records the authorities can see. We received several anecdotal reports of UK citizens attempting to travel to the US and being turned away due to arrest records, see here: for an report in

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