Overview
- Justice Secretary David Lammy said he will consider options to simplify the criminal records regime, focusing on offences committed in childhood.
- The Ministry of Justice said it is actively exploring changes to the system while prioritizing public safety.
- Freedom of information data indicates about 160,000 people have had offences from their youth disclosed to employers, with minor incidents still appearing decades later.
- The Disclosure and Barring Service requires indefinite disclosure of certain offences such as affray, violent disorder, arson and racial harassment, prompting debate over any new limits.
- The consideration builds on Lammy’s 2017 review, which recommended routes to have records sealed for reformed individuals, and follows reports of youthful transgressions surfacing in midlife checks.