The government intends to review the Criminal Procedure Act with a view to expunging the criminal records of some in order to give criminals “a second chance”.
Criminal records had a “detrimental effect on successful social integration” the minister of Justice and Correctional Services Michael Masutha told parliament during his budget vote.
Although the act was reviewed recently, around 2009, Masutha nevertheless said “perhaps it is time to open the dialogue on criminal records”.
But Masutha said the move would “not compromise public safety” if the focus remains “on those who committed minor and non-violent crimes”.
Earlier, he told a media briefing that offenders could apply to have their records expunged 10 years after the offence was committed. He said this period might even be reduced.
“Ten years can be a lifetime, especially to a young person,” Masutha said.
The DA’s James Selfe supported the obvious new measures to scrub South Africa’s high crime stats: “We believe that a criminal record is a powerful inhibitor to being integrated back into society.”