Celebrating 50 years of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

What is the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974? (ROA)

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the passing of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) – landmark legislation which recognised the need to give people the chance to move on from their pasts. Over the coming months Nacro will be publishing a series of content to celebrate this anniversary including debates about the new frontiers since the ROA was introduced; whether people are now getting a fairer chance at a second chance; what the big issues of the day are and what change needs to happen now. As always, we will have lots of practical information to help professionals and individuals know how the law impacts them and what they need to do

A brief history of the ROA

Early 1970s: The Need for Reform

Before the ROA was introduced, people with criminal records faced significant challenges in reintegrating into society. A conviction, no matter how minor, could have long-lasting effects on a person’s ability to secure employment, housing, and other essential services. The stigma attached to a criminal record often prevented people from rebuilding their lives, even after they had served their sentence and shown genuine efforts to reform.

In 1970, recognising the pressing need for reform, a joint committee chaired by Lord Gardiner was established by the all-party lawyers’ association, Nacro, Justice and the Howard League for Penal Reform. Chaired by Lord Gardiner. The collaborative efforts and expertise of this committee underscored the importance of creating the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at providing rehabilitated individuals with a genuine second chance.

Introduction of the Act in 1974

Recognising the need for a fairer system, the UK Parliament passed the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act in 1974. The aim was to create a legal framework that allowed certain convictions to become “spent” after a specified rehabilitation period, meaning they no longer had to be disclosed in most circumstances.

The Act’s Impact and Evolution

The ROA was groundbreaking because it acknowledged that people could change and that a one-time mistake shouldn’t define a person’s entire life. Over time, the act has helped thousands of individuals reintegrate into society by allowing them to apply for jobs, insurance, and other opportunities without the burden of their past mistakes.

Amendments and Updates

Since its inception, the ROA has been amended several times to reflect changing attitudes towards rehabilitation and criminal justice. Reforms in 2013 and 2023 brought significant changes, including reducing some rehabilitation periods.

These amendments were designed to make it easier for people with less severe convictions to move on with their lives more quickly.

Moving forward

Although the ROA has benefited many parties over the last 50 years, the complexity of the wider criminal record disclosure system has grown over time and is now incredibly complex, at times arbitrary and not well understood by individuals and employers.

We are now at a point where we believe there is a need for a fundamental review of the whole criminal record disclosure system to ensure it is effective, fair and easy to understand. Over the coming months we will be highlighting where the system is currently not working and what we believe needs to change.

Do you need support with the ROA?

Our Criminal Record Support Service has a free online resource library. Here you can find frequently asked questions and guides both for people with criminal records and organisations that require support or advice on criminal record related matters.

If you are a person affected by a criminal record and require advice, you can contact our Criminal Record Support Service.

If you are an employer or organisation that requires advice, support or training you can contact our Employer Advice Service.