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ONCE A CRIMINAL? THE USE AND ABUSE OF CRIMINAL RECORDS

NCJ Number
142764
Date Published
1993
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The Penal Affairs Consortium assesses the impact of recent changes in the handling of criminal records in the U.K. on the rehabilitation prospects of ex-offenders.
Abstract
The over 5 million criminal records held on the national police computer system may be made available to potential employers when the job involves national security, probity in the administration of justice, or when the protection of children is at stake. The link between unemployment and recidivism is widely accepted; criminal record vetting can substantially damage ex-offenders' changes of gaining employment. Three areas of concern are cited here: irrelevant convictions, unnecessary information, and unauthorized disclosure. While the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 assists ex-offenders in leaving their criminal records behind, it does not apply to offenders sentenced for a period exceeding 30 months. The limitations of the act also apply to juvenile delinquents, who can carry the consequences of their offenses into adulthood. This report recommends four immediate steps to establish a fairer and more effective vetting process: no extension of vetting, new codes of practice, prevention of abuse, and review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.