People convicted of offences as children could have their records cleared, but serious violent and sexual convictions would still have to be disclosed.
Youth Minister Jack Richards has launched a consultation on plans to change the rules on childhood criminal records.
Under the proposals, which were announced on Thursday (12 November), some convictions, such as robbery and certain drug offences, would no longer need to be disclosed for life.
Out-of-court resolutions would also be removed from disclosure requirements and rules around convictions resulting in fines would be reduced or scrapped.
Richards said that while children who commit crimes must face the consequences, ‘those who turn their lives around shouldn’t be condemned to carry their mistakes forever.’
‘Too often, a childhood criminal record can close doors to jobs, education and the chance to build a better future,’ He added. ‘I want to give people a fair chance to move on from their past, while ensuring the public remains protected from those who pose a risk.’
However, Satvir Kaur, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: ‘There are some convictions, particularly for serious violent and sexual offences, that will need to be disclosed.’
She added that ‘protecting and safeguarding our communities will always be at the heart of our decision-making’.
The consultation comes ahead of Alan Milburn’s review into youth unemployment, which is due to be published later this month.
Before launching the consultation, Richards met representatives from businesses including KPMG, Timpson and Greene King to discuss how criminal records can affect people’s chances of finding work.
More than 90% of businesses that employ prison leavers say they are motivated, while people who find work after leaving prison are less likely to reoffend.
Penelope Gibbs, director of Transform Justice, said: ‘Criminal records (DBS) checks are an essential tool for safeguarding individuals, but a childhood misdemeanour should not prevent someone volunteering or getting work decades later.
‘Our current system means that a child who commits an offence aged 12 and receives a community sentence will often still have to disclose that offence thirty years later.’
Image: Zizi zi/UnSplash
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