Rehabilitation of Offenders

That the Parliament agrees that the time is right to consider whether the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 needs to be modernised and reformed; notes that the legislation has a dual role of protecting the public and helping to reduce reoffending; agrees that helping ex-offenders move away from their previous offending behaviour in order to lead purposeful lives can help contribute to wider society in Scotland; notes that any reform must deliver the correct balance between public safety and rehabilitation, and agrees that it is important to develop policy, through a broad consensus, on how to reform and modernise the rules governing how a person’s previous criminal activity is disclosed after a sentence has been served.