Minor criminal offences 'should not hinder job hopes'
17/06/2005 - 16:48:43The business community is calling for the abolition of criminal records for minor offences.
Another group, the Ruhama Project, which works with women involved in prostitution, has echoed the call.
Business in the Community says it would allow small-time criminals to begin employment.
Chief executive Tina Roche says employers don't need to know about minor offences:
"Once you have a criminal conviction it stays with you throughout your life so if I give an example of how this works," she said.
"I applied for a job and it asks if you have a criminal conviction you will say yes or no, not oh well yes I've a minor criminal conviction.
"It's really difficult to then to come back and say well I wonder if that is minor or not.''
