Government proposal aims to reduce number of children in custody in England and Wales and boost youth employment
Children found guilty of robbery, dealing drugs to other children or violent disorder will no longer have to disclose their criminal records to prospective employers under sweeping government proposals to change the youth justice system.
People in England and Wales will not have to share records of crimes committed when they were under 18 for the rest of their lives under the proposals, which ministers say will boost youth employment and make life fairer for people from disadvantaged backgrounds in particular.
The proposals, which are being consulted on, are part of a wider set of changes that aim to sharply reduce the number of children in custody and increase support for those who are convicted of crimes.
Jake Richards, a justice minister, told the Guardian: “Where it’s safe, we believe as a government, people should have second chances – second chances to make something of themselves, to contribute to work and to turn their back on crime.
“The system at the moment doesn’t discern for offences committed when you were a child than those that you committed as an adult.”
Richards is proposing to reduce the number of offences that would require lifelong disclosure on standard and enhanced DBS checks by the…
