The big idea
If British society truly believes in rehabilitation (and I often doubt it does) then when a conviction becomes SPENT the record should be removed from the PNC, local police databases, IDENT 1 fingerprint and photograph databases.
The weeding of this information will save money. And it would allow those individuals who have rehabilitated themselves to move on with their lives -and contribute to this new "Big Society" that the government talks about.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 is outdated and needs to be brought up to date to reflect CRB, ISA, ECHR (Human Rights Laws).
Furthermore, court records must also be subject to weeding – fully subject to the Data Protection Act.
Why does this matter?
It will save money. And allow being who have rehabilitated themselves to move on with their lives. If we truly believe people can change and rehabilitate themselves why should their history continuing be brought up and risk damaging the changes they have made in their lives?
I totally agree with this idea as I am personally suffering from a conviction that was spent over 20 years ago and still remains on my record. It has only recently begun to affect my work as I’m developing my Drum business into schools and therefore require a CRB check. I have not only rehabilitated many years ago but now consider myself a valuable member of society and could be instrumental at making a difference for Children in Schools all over London. I’d very much like to see a review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) as presently it certainly appears to be extremely outdated with the demands of present day society.
Totally agree
Police state and failed state thats the way it will stay for the future of Great Britania and its ancient weak outdated laws made for the criminal bagencies of the government and large private business organisations that use the information and criminally use the information against you repeatedly undetected including police who give that information unlawfully to these organisations. Sorry correction sell that informatioin for financial gain.
Please Please HELP!. I need advice on the possibility of having my criminal record either expunged or possibly sealed. My record has not affected me for many years up until recently. I work within the security industry and i am required by the SIA to provide a disclosure. I have done so for the past 7 years two out of every 3 years for both my SIA Frontline licence and my CCTV Public surveilance licence without issue. ( They are aware of my convictions and due to the rehabilitation of offenders act the SIA recognise my convictions as spent and therfore grant my licences.) I am a father of 3 who is both hardworking and honest and openly admits that he made a mistake 15 years ago, however due to the recession i sadly lost my employment due to staff cuts late in 2011. Since this time i have applied consitently for positions within the security sector only to realise that every employer is requesting a standard disclosure, even though my convictions are spent they are showing on the standard disclosure which in turn is having a serious impact upon my career. I have attained several qualifications within the induastry both at personal and financial cost to myself. How can the goverment or governing body allow prospective employers to walk all over a law that was passed to protect genuinely rehabilitated offenders. I am currently studying at college of which i will now have to give u[ due to what is now happening in 2012. How can this be right? Does this now mean i will be singled out for the rest of my life for having made one mistake in my late teens or am i to asume that this goverment who is so pc and up on human rights allowed to watch a family fall to pieces due to failing to update the rehabilitation of offenders act in line with the ISA and CRB checks…..I’m pretty sure that a section in the human rights act states that i am entitled to private and family life? Due to what i have written it doesn’t appear to be the case.
Thisis such a mqving plea. Can’t anybody help?
well written i have had the same trouble i hold a security licence which the sia have granted me but when i apply for security work. employers knock me back regarding my convictions from thirty years ago. so how did i get an sia licence.? the whole system stinks