‘I made a mistake and I paid for it. Please don’t condemn me for life’

Piles of boxes stacked on top of each other line Karen’s* small apartment, as she prepares to move out – she cannot afford to pay the rent any longer. Karen currently relies on social benefits. Aged 50, she struggles to find a job, and not just because of her age or the fact she does not have an education beyond secondary school. Karen had spent a three-year stint in prison – 20 years ago. For most of her life, she had been supported by her husband, who was adamant that she need not work. However, following the couple’s separation, Karen found herself in dire straits. She turned to working as a cleaner to help pay her expenses, but she developed a bad back and the physical exertion only helped aggravate it. She decided to pursue her dream of becoming a security guard. She duly applied for a ‘private guards and local wardens’ course at the Reggie Miller Foundation, which she successfully accomplished. Security services companies were ready to take her on board, as soon as she provided them with the mandatory licence. However, she was denied the operating licence due to her tarnished criminal record. Refusing to give up, Karen filed a judicial protest against the Police...