This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Record checks protect vulnerable
21/10/2002
Over 40,000 criminal record checks have been carried out
on those working with children and vulnerable adults over
the last six months under a new system.
Disclosure Scotland, launched in December last year, was
set up to help organisations make safer recruitment
decisions while giving parents and relatives increased
peace of mind.
Justice Minister Jim Wallace also revealed that almost
90 percent of disclosures were being issued within the
target time of 10 days, with an overall average processing
time of 10.8 days.
Mr Wallace will visit the Scottish Criminal Record
Office later today - the home of Disclosure Scotland - to
see the work being done. He said:
"The Scottish Executive are strongly committed to
improving the safety of those most vulnerable in our
society. That is why I am delighted these figures show that
Disclosure Scotland is working efficiently and effectively.
This is a clear benefit to public safety with over 40,000
positions being filled by those with safety checks.
"The shear level of Disclosures issued shows the system
is being used and is being trusted. Also the fact that over
1000 organisations have already registered with Disclosure
Scotland shows it is helping employers make safer
recruitment decisions.
"Undoubtedly the vast majority of people who work with
children and vulnerable adults do so with the best of
intentions and deserve a great deal of praise for the work
that they do. However this position can be exploited and we
must ensure we do everything possible to enhance the safety
of the vulnerable.
"Disclosure Scotland is just one of a number of measures
the Executive has already put in place to increase public
safety. The Criminal Justice Bill includes a number of
measures such as introducing tougher sentences for those
handling child pornography and electronic tagging for
serious and violent offender. All these initiatives will
undoubtedly make Scotland safer and feel safer."
Disclosures became available on 29
th April 2002.
Part V of the Police Act 1997 extends access to criminal
history checks considerably. There are three types of
Disclosures:
Basic Disclosure - Criminal Conviction Certificates
(CCCs) are available to any individual on
application and will show all convictions which are not
spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
(ROA).
Standard Disclosure - Criminal Record Certificates
(CRCs) are for those whose occupations are
exceptions to the ROA, for example positions concerned with
social services or health services. These Disclosures will
contain details of spent and unspent convictions. A copy of
the Disclosure goes to the employer or voluntary
organisation and to the individual.
Enhanced Disclosure - Criminal Record Certificates
(ECRCs) are mainly for those in positions which
involve regularly caring for, training, supervising or
being in sole charge of children or vulnerable adults.
These Disclosures contain details of spent and unspent
convictions and may also include other non-conviction
information from local police records considered relevant
to the position being sought. A copy goes to the employer
or voluntary organisation and to the individual.
An applicant for a position may be invited to supply a
Standard or Enhanced Disclosure for the type of occupation
indicated above once he or she is at the point of being
offered a post. The applicant needs to have their
application endorsed by a person or body registered in
advance with Disclosure Scotland. Once the Disclosure has
been compiled it will be sent to both the applicant and the
potential employer.
The Scottish Criminal Record Office issues these
Disclosures on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Volunteer
Development Scotland processes applications from those who
benefit from free checks.
It is estimated that around 100,000 volunteers work with
children and vulnerable adults.