About Conviction
We’re an independent organisation supporting adults affected by the criminal justice system in England and Wales.
How we began
Ryan Jarvis founded Conviction in 2017 to help people in prison who couldn’t afford guidance and support.
As more people asked for help, we saw that the need extended beyond prison. People needed information and support at other stages of the criminal justice system.
Our work grew to include advocacy, casework, public information and campaigning. The aim remained the same: to make support easier to find and use.
Milestones
- April 2018
The Criminal Justice Hub launches
Our online information resource made guidance available to a wider audience.
- April 2018
Supporting fairer recruitment
We signed up to Business in the Community’s Ban the Box campaign. Its published record describes our approach: considering someone’s skills and suitability before asking about convictions.
- June 2019
Autism becomes a policy focus
We introduced a dedicated area of work on autism in the criminal justice system.
- 2020
Recognition for our work
SME News named Conviction “Best Criminal Justice NPO 2020” in its Legal Awards. NPO stands for not for profit organisation.
- June 2022
Connecting with neurodivergence research
Our founder appears under Conviction in the Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice Network’s June 2022 members list. The network brings together researchers, practitioners and people with personal experience of the system.
See the network’s members list (PDF, page 2) or read about the network at UWE Bristol.
- October 2026
A simpler way to ask for support
Following a review shaped by feedback from service users and people who refer to us, we launched this website and opened email enquiries for assessment, subject to capacity.
Today, the Hub is the home for our public guidance, directories and tools. Alongside it, we offer individual support and campaigning.
How we work
We start by asking what you need help with and what matters to you. We aim to explain things clearly, respect your choices and be honest about what we can offer.
Our resources are limited. We assess support enquiries individually and can only take on work where we have the capacity and the right kind of help to offer. You can read more about this on our support page.
Who’s behind Conviction
Volunteers
Volunteers contribute time and skills to Conviction’s work. If you’d like to help, tell us about your interests and availability.
How we’re run
Conviction is an unincorporated association with a small membership. One person currently coordinates the daily work. We do not have a separate management committee.
The coordinator is the contact for questions about daily work. If you need to know who can agree a particular piece of work or make a commitment for the association, ask before relying on an arrangement.
We are developing a constitution. The current draft has not been adopted and is not presented as an approved policy.
Questions and concerns
Read our current service information and published policies and statements. For questions about responsibilities, capacity or a proposed collaboration, use Working together.
If something has gone wrong, our feedback and complaints route explains how to contact us, including when a concern involves the coordinator.