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The Measurable Benefit / Sustained Rehabilitation Form
The Measurable Benefit / Sustained Rehabilitation form causes a lot of people to pause while they are working through their application. While Pardon Services Canada will do everything we can to help you with your application, this is one thing you need to do yourself. This is because the Parole Board wants to hear from you.
Generally, it's the first question that throws people off:
"Clearly indicate how a record suspension would provide you with a measurable benefit and how it would sustain your rehabilitation into society as a law-abiding citizen."
Really, there are two parts to this question. If you keep that in mind, you will have a successful application.
- Why do you want a Record Suspension?
- How will a Record Suspension improve your life and help you move away from your past mistakes?
Measurable Benefit Example
Let’s say Bill works in shipping, but he can’t be a driver because drivers need to be bondable. Bill wants to become a driver for a couple of reasons:
- More income
- More flexibility so he can spend more time with his family
- Opportunity to learn new skills so that he can progress in his career and have greater opportunity
- Ability to work towards owning his own company one day
Current Situation
In his measurable benefit form, Bill will describe his current situation:
- Working in the warehouse with limited opportunity
- Missing his kids' events because he has to work nights
- Not being able to afford to put money away for his own business goals or his children’s education.
Goals
Then he will describe where he wants to be:
- Learning new skills
- Working flexible hours
- Working towards his own business
- Investing money for his children’s education
The measurable benefit is to become bondable so that he can get the driving job, which has more opportunity. Although we are using point form here, these are just Bill’s notes. Once you have made your notes, it is important to write your measurable benefit in paragraph form.
Completed Answer
Here is Bill’s measurable benefit answer.
"A Record Suspension will help me become bondable, so I can move forward in my career and better support my family. Currently, I work in the warehouse for my company. I enjoy working with this company and want to move up. They often advertise for drivers at a higher pay grade than what I am currently earning. They are willing to train. However, I need to be bondable to qualify.
"If I get the job as a driver, I will have better hours, so I can spend more time with my two children and attend their school and sporting events. I will have a 20 per cent increase in my income. I plan to put 10 per cent away for my children’s post-secondary education and 10 per cent away to start my own transportation contractor business. At this rate of saving, I estimate I can start my business in 15 years."
How to Get Started
Bill’s measurable benefit statement answers both parts of the question. How it will benefit him and to what measurable extent. It’s the second part that gives people trouble. It’s a good idea to provide examples. Try starting in point form and then rewrite it in paragraph form. If you want to improve your career, what do you see yourself doing instead of what you are doing now? For example, maybe today you are an office assistant, but you want to be a bookkeeper. Jot down your dream job. If you are unemployed, what kind of position do you want to get? What kinds of positions have you been applying for? If you have applied for jobs and they all requested a background check, you could specify the positions.
If you want to go back to school, but the program requires a background check, write down the name of the program you want to enter.
Maybe you are not applying for new opportunities, but you just want to ensure that you can move forward from the past. In this situation, you might want to write down how you feel about having a record and why you think it will benefit you to seal it. For example, you won’t worry about it coming up at work. You’ll feel more confident. It will help you be a better role model to your children.
Other Ideas
Other things people talk about in their measurable benefit statements are volunteering, travelling to other countries to visit family, and immigration and family law matters. Keep in mind that a Record Suspension will not help you if you are not eligible to enter the States. However, it can be used to support a US Entry Waiver application.
Once you have written down why you want the Record Suspension, brainstorm all the ways it will change your life. Don’t worry about paragraphs until after you have the ideas listed. Choose the best ones and write them into a paragraph or two.
You can attach a separate page, but don’t go on too long. Stick with your main points or the reader might get lost and not understand what you are trying to say. The more concrete the benefit, the easier it will be to understand. Avoid the urge to write poetically or to try to impress with big words.
On the other hand, don’t just dash off a sentence during a commercial break, or the Parole Board might think you are not taking the application seriously. “I need it for work” is not a good answer. Explain your work and why the Record Suspension is required for your job.
While it is important to provide your documents in a timely manner, do take the time to think about your answer before you send in your Measurable Benefit statement. It could cause delays and added stress if your application is returned.
Filling Out the Rest of the Form
The form will go on to ask about what improvements you have made in life so far, and to describe the circumstances of the offence. Try to be as specific as possible. Even if it was long ago, don't say you don't remember. Also, this is not a place to argue your innocence. A Record Suspension is not the remedy for the wrongly convicted. If that is the situation, you should consult a lawyer.
If you need help with the different parts of the Record Suspension application, contact us today for a free consultation at 1-866-972-7366.
