The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan launched a new program offering support and guidance to people with criminal records who are looking for a job.
The society says the record suspension (formerly known as a pardon) program is a free service available to all Saskatchewan residents.
“A lot of people make some bad choices or make mistakes when they’re younger and they shouldn’t have that black cloud hanging over them for the rest of their lives,” said Angel Generaux, a case worker for the society.
A record suspension does not erase being convicted of a crime, but stops that information from being shared, and Generaux has gone through the process herself.
She said she would previously avoid applying for jobs that required a criminal record check before she received her record suspension.
“Getting my record suspension has allowed me to pursue opportunities in my chosen field and not have to face the stigma of explaining myself to others for volunteer positions,” Generaux said.
“It’s a really great feeling seeing that blank page the first time you request a criminal record check after having your record suspended.”
She said it can be a complex process, noting people can get that extra support to go through those government documents.
Generaux said her record was almost 30 years old by the time she got her suspension, and that it was a liberating feeling.
The organization said having a record suspension helps people secure rental housing, gives them access to more employment and educational opportunities, and also gives them the ability to travel outside the country.
It said while the service is free, there are other fees associated with the application for things like fingerprinting and court documents, and the average cost sits around $245.
Record suspensions can’t be applied for if the person has been convicted of a sexual offence involving a child or if they have four or more indictable offences that came with a prison term that lasted two or more years.
Shawn Fraser, the CEO of the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan, said they partnered with the federal government on this program.
He said the federal government recently dropped the record suspension fee and partnered with non-profits around the country to help people with the paperwork.
“There are many, many people with a criminal record, and we believe once people have finished paying their debt to society that there’s no reason for those criminal records to hang around and cause grief for them,” Fraser said.
He said they have staff in four locations across the province: Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina.
Fraser said it can take several months to complete the process.
He said criminal records are more common than some people might think.
“Some people might see it that there’s the ‘bad people,’ some people that have criminal records, and then there’s the rest of us. The reality is that criminal records are all across our society, all of us probably know somebody with a criminal record. People make mistakes, it happens.”