‘A second chance’: children guilty of serious offences will no longer have to declare criminal records
Summary
The government of England and Wales has proposed changes that would limit how long people must disclose certain offences committed before age 18 on standard and enhanced criminal-record checks. The proposals are under consultation and form part of wider plans to reduce youth custody and increase support for children convicted of crimes.Key Facts
- Under the proposal, people convicted as children of offences including robbery, violent disorder, supplying drugs to a child, affray and actual bodily harm would not automatically have to disclose them for life.
- For those offences, the proposed disclosure period would be five and a half years if the person received no custodial sentence, and 11 years for a sentence of two years or less.
- A sentence longer than two years would still require lifelong disclosure under the proposal.
- People fined for an offence would no longer have to disclose it; current rules require disclosure for six months.
- The proposals would also end automatic disclosure of out-of-court resolutions and remove a rule that extends the time before a conviction becomes spent after another conviction during the rehabilitation period.
- Standard and enhanced criminal-record checks are required for some jobs, including teaching, social work, healthcare and taxi driving.
- The justice minister said the changes aim to give people convicted as children a chance to work and move away from crime. Campaigners said the proposals could improve youth employment.
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