The 1997 law titled the Police Act 1997 Part V provided for the bureau’s development. The bureau began operations in 2001 and becomes fully operational in 2002. The goal of the bureau is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of criminal background checks of prospective employees. The bureau replaces existing arrangements in which disclosure of criminal records to employers takes through the local police. The result of the development of the new agency will be an increase in the number of people subject to pre-employment screenings through checks on their criminal records. It is not yet clear whether the new policy will withstand an appeal to the European Convention on Human Rights as being a necessary and proportionate approach to reduce crime in the workplace. The analysis concludes that this development is an example of a new social policy with the potential for an unintended consequence of large-scale social exclusion, by limiting ex-offenders’ chances of employment. 46 references