Paul McDowell, chief executive of Nacro, the crime reduction charity, has welcomed the government’s proposed reform of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, but called for the government to make further changes and go beyond its proposals:

‘These long overdue reforms will significantly help those people who have offended in the past and are now living law-abiding lives. Reformed offenders face barriers to employment because of old criminal records hanging around their necks.

‘Today’s proposed amendments will mean that more people will be able to secure work, give something back to society and lead productive lives.

‘These amendments are a big step in the right direction, and we applaud the government for making a positive step towards supporting ex-offenders into employment.

‘Despite the proposed changes, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act will still present barriers to people who have put their offending behind them, particularly those who have served over four years in prison. We will therefore continue to work with the government and our partners to secure lasting change.’

ENDS