Reform the ROA: Rehabilitation of Offenders Act at 50

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) turns 50 years old today.

It has helped millions of people with criminal records move on positively with their lives without having to disclose their past.

For all its positive impact we have to ask, is the legislation still fit for purpose in a world that has drastically changed since 1974?

Unlock is calling for a full review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act to mark this anniversary year.

The right to move on positively

The Act allowed some criminal convictions to become ‘spent’ after a certain amount of time. This gives people with criminal records the right and ability to move on, without having to disclose their past.

This right to have your criminal record forgotten is a crucial part of rehabilitation, finding employment and being part of society. It has helped millions of people move on positively with their lives.

A changing world

Fifty years on the world has changed, but the ROA is still the basis of the criminal records system.

• The rules have become increasingly complex
  It is difficult for people with criminal records and employers to understand when offences have become spent, or when and how to legally check someone’s criminal record. Mistakes are inevitable.
• The internet has changed everything
  It is practically impossible to be forgotten in the internet age. Someone’s past convictions can easily be searched for, even if they have a legal right not to disclose them.
• Millions more people face the barrier of criminal records today
  In 1974 it was estimated around 1 million people with criminal records would be helped by the Act. Today we have over 12.5 million people with criminal records in the UK facing barriers to employment.

A full review

It’s time for an update of the legislation governing the criminal records system.

Unlock is calling for a full review of the ROA. We need a modern system that is easy to navigate, relevant for the internet age and as fair and effective as when it was first introduced.

It took one year between the ROA gaining royal assent in July 1974 and finally coming in to force in July 1975. Throughout this anniversary year we will be focusing on both the positive impact and the limits of the ROA in the modern world.

By July 2025 we aim to have gathered evidence and support from people with criminal records, employers and sector experts on the need for a full review.