Wiping the criminal slate clean
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By doing so would it lose the deterent effect on petty crimes ?
Wiping the criminal slate clean
Minor offenders who stay out of trouble can now have their records expunged
Jasmine Yin
[email protected]
NO LONGER will many former offenders, looking for a fresh start, be haunted by their past.
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Come next Monday, the Government is changing rules to strike out a person's criminal record for good, provided the offence was minor and the offender behaved himself afterwards.
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This means that if someone asks a former offender whether he has a criminal record, he may be able to lawfully answer "no", said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee.
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Fittingly, he chose an appreciation dinner organised by the Yellow Ribbon Project (YRP) ¡ª a one-year-old campaign which helps re-integrate ex-offenders into society ¡ª to make this announcement.
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"The Government is doing its part to ensure that Singapore is a land of opportunity for everyone, even those who have made mistakes but who have demonstrated that they are committed to turning over a new leaf," said Assoc Prof Ho.
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For a start, about 120,000 ex-offenders will have their records rendered spent, with an estimated 9,000 ex-offenders benefitting each year from this change.
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It is not a blank cheque, though. Some conditions have to be met.
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The offence committed must be minor in nature, such as theft or shoplifting. Those convicted for serious offences ¡ª such as drug trafficking, rape or molest ¡ª cannot have their records erased.
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To underline this point, the severity of the sentence will be a factor. Those jailed for more than three months or fined more than $2,000 do not qualify for relief.
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The ex-offender should also have shown consistent good behaviour to earn this second chance. Among other things, he should be crime-free for five years. The countdown starts either from his day of release from legal custody, or from the day of sentencing if no imprisonment was involved.
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During this period, the ex-offender must also not have been convicted for another crime or have been admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre.
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The success of the changes will, of course, depend on how employers react to them.
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The Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (Score), which is the secretariat for the YRP, has stressed that to successfully re-integrate with society, ex-offenders need jobs. At a unique job fair last month, it managed to find jobs for 150 inmates awaiting release in the next three months.
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But companies don't always walk the talk.
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While 34 per cent of companies surveyed by Score said that they were open to the idea of hiring ex-offenders, only 4 per cent of employers actually did so.
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"While legislation changes can be put in place, the Government cannot legislate companies or businesses to employ ex-offenders. We recognise that recruitment must be done with full knowledge and be left to the judgement of the hiring party," said Assoc Prof Ho.
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"However, we strongly encourage employers to do their part in helping those who are trying to help themselves."
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He suggested that employers rephrase questions about criminal conviction in job application forms. Instead of asking if a person has ever been convicted in a court of law ¡ª to which the ex-offender still has to answer "Yes" ¡ª applicants could simply be asked if they have a criminal record.
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Ex-offenders who wish to know if their records have been wiped clean can call the Criminal Records Office at 6557 5700 from next Monday onwards. By the first quarter of next year, an e-Portal will also be set up for this purpose.
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Many are celebrating the changes.
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"This will help ex-offenders in their job interviews because in Singapore, employers are very particular about their workers' past. Those who committed minor cases have already paid their dues ¡ª and there are a lot of capable people among them," said Mr Philip Leow, whose manufacturing company has hired ex-offenders for the past 16 years.
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Gospel singer Kelvin Soh, who was jailed for 20 years for various offences, felt that while this was an "encouraging step" for ex-offenders, he wanted more.
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He asked in Mandarin: "This applies only to those with minor offences, so does it mean that for those who committed heavier offences, there is no more chance?" -
While I understand that he might be grossly disappointed...I dont think he should be hoping for a 100% erasure.Originally posted by crazy monkey:Gospel singer Kelvin Soh, who was jailed for 20 years for various offences, felt that while this was an "encouraging step" for ex-offenders, he wanted more.
He asked in Mandarin: "This applies only to those with minor offences, so does it mean that for those who committed heavier offences, there is no more chance?"
I think the move is in the right direction. -
can someone pls summarize in 10 words or less.
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When I say I am a jerk, people throw rotton vegetables, tomatoes, eggs, smelly fish onto me.
When I say I am upright, no one give me trophy, medal, commendation, award or a pat on the back.
funny... just funny
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Wiping the criminal slate cleanOriginally posted by the.raven:can someone pls summarize in 10 words or less. -
x2Originally posted by Xcert:While I understand that he might be grossly disappointed...I dont think he should be hoping for a 100% erasure.
I think the move is in the right direction. -
Originally posted by Honeybunz:x2
Hopefully the stats will come up...but it also shows how hypocritical people are in surveys.Originally posted by Honeybunz:While 34 per cent of companies surveyed by Score said that they were open to the idea of hiring ex-offenders, only 4 per cent of employers actually did so.
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all jobs today requires utmost intergrity and honesty
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it cannot be, when there is light, there will be darkness.
none will cease to exist. just like yin and yang. -
The interesting question now is:
How will an ex-offender respond to questions that ask about whether he or she has committed any crime before?
Does the person say No? because there is nothing on permanent record?
Or does the person say Yes? because even though there is nothing on record now, he cannot undo the crime committed before.
Now what if the employer eventually finds out about the person's past (Singapore is not exactly a very big place), could they fire the employee for lying to them in the job interview?
If you look at it, the ex-offender is in a no win situation regardless of whether the records are wiped clean or not. And if employers are going to hire ex-offenders, they will do so regardless of whether they have a criminal records or not. -
ya lor. i think its better to keep on record and let the employer decide whether they want to hire or not.Originally posted by charlize:The interesting question now is:
How will an ex-offender respond to questions that ask about whether he or she has committed any crime before?
Does the person say No? because there is nothing on permanent record?
Or does the person say Yes? because even though there is nothing on record now, he cannot undo the crime committed before.
Now what if the employer eventually finds out about the person's past (Singapore is not exactly a very big place), could they fire the employee for lying to them in the job interview?
If you look at it, the ex-offender is in a no win situation regardless of whether the records are wiped clean or not. And if employers are going to hire ex-offenders, they will do so regardless of whether they have a criminal records or not. -
Originally posted by charlize:
The interesting question now is:
How will an ex-offender respond to questions that ask about whether he or she has committed any crime before?
Does the person say No? because there is nothing on permanent record?
Or does the person say Yes? because even though there is nothing on record now, he cannot undo the crime committed before.
Say No. The record has been wiped clean. The offender has paid for his crime in the course of justice.
Now what if the employer eventually finds out about the person's past (Singapore is not exactly a very big place), could they fire the employee for lying to them in the job interview?
No.
If you look at it, the ex-offender is in a no win situation regardless of whether the records are wiped clean or not. And if employers are going to hire ex-offenders, they will do so regardless of whether they have a criminal records or not.
I gave you an apple because you want one. Now you prefer your orange back. Which fruits do you want to munch today? -
I think they are allowed to say 'no'? Cause in LEGAL SENSE(?) they are allowed to say 'no'? Actually, this question has popped into my mind previously too and I certainly hope the authority can better clarify this...?Originally posted by charlize:The interesting question now is:
How will an ex-offender respond to questions that ask about whether he or she has committed any crime before?
Does the person say No? because there is nothing on permanent record?
Or does the person say Yes? because even though there is nothing on record now, he cannot undo the crime committed before.
Now what if the employer eventually finds out about the person's past (Singapore is not exactly a very big place), could they fire the employee for lying to them in the job interview?
If you look at it, the ex-offender is in a no win situation regardless of whether the records are wiped clean or not. And if employers are going to hire ex-offenders, they will do so regardless of whether they have a criminal records or not.
YET, ALL IN ALL... I think have 'crimminal record slate clean' is just a 'beautiful' way of putting in... In actual sense, do you think Singapore would work in that way...? I think this is put out more for a social application (pls read what follows) than a personal 'forgiving'...? Would police really be 'more mercy' on you if you're caught as a suspect for some crime? Hmm... And things like that... From my own knowledge 'innocent until guilty' is often not the case in Singapore... At least not in terms of 'treatment' and the biases which set in...
Personally, I feel that this 'wiping of record' thing is set in more for a 'psychological approach'... As 'crimminals' such labelled often have little choice when driven to the walls in the society, but to resort back to the crimminal ways... Often also true for drug addicts, teens with family problems and such... And things are getting even much WORSE at this COMPETITIVE AGE in SINGAPORE.. On the LONG RUN, it could VERY WELL POSE a SERIOUS SOCIAL PROBLEM.... Besides... I think such 'approaches' have been found to be rather 'successful' in the western countries..? -
Note that I had stated the question to be whether they had COMMITTED A CRIME before NOT whether they had any criminal records.
Saying No to not having committed a crime is essentially lying. The person did commit a crime except that there is no permanent record of it.
As I have mentioned earlier before, Singapore is not exactly a big place. People know people who know people. What if one day, an ex-offender recognises another ex offender who had spent jail time together before and makes the information known to the employers.
Again, while legally the ex-offender has the right to say NO, there will still be the stigma attached when some conscientious employers find out the truth that the person had lied to them, albeit he was legally not wrong in hiding the past. The employers may begin to question the honesty and integrity of the employee.
This is still a no win situation for the ex offender, whether to tell the truth or hide it. -
10 words Summary " I Smell the Elections Coming , To be annouced Year End! "
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I seriously don't get the last part.Originally posted by TooFree: