There are lots of myths surrounding criminal records; who has them, what they mean and how they affect employment. We’ve selected a few of the most useful or interesting statistics below, for some context. Clicking on the boxes will open the relevant source:

There are over 12 million people in the UK with a criminal record – less than 10% will ever be sentenced to prison
In 2022, 80% of all sentences handed down were fines. Fines are given for relatively low-level or first-time offences.
In 2022, 30% of all convictions for women related to non-payment of a TV licence
Black men are 240% more likely to be sent to prison than white men (for the same offences)
86% of employers who recruit people with criminal records report a good experience
81% of people think that businesses who employ people with criminal records are making a positive contribution to society

Intersections

There are significant disparities in the criminal justice system, meaning that certain groups are disproportionately more likely to receive a criminal record. The following are a few examples of who can be affected by discrimination in the justice system:

Black men were found to be 240% more likely to be sent to prison than white men – for the same offences.
In 2022 it was estimated that over 50% of people in prison are neurodivergent

66% of children in custody in England and Wales have been in statutory care

Almost 70% of young people given a prison sentence had received free school meals in the past

People who are racially minoritised are disproportionately represented at every stage of the justice system. This includes arrest, being tried at crown court (as opposed to magistrate), remand rates, custodial sentencing and prison disciplinary action.

Women are more likely to receive short (under 6 month) prison sentences than men – 72% of convictions handed to women in 2020 were for non-violent offences.
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