Currently, conducting criminal background checks before hiring employees is a crucial practice in every organization. However, beyond checking the criminal history of individuals who have committed offenses, there’s also the aspect of rehabilitation. Individuals who have had a criminal past but have served their sentence or undergone rehabilitation can be given the chance to reenter the workforce. So, how do criminal background checks help rehabilitate individuals with criminal records back into society? This article will explore the answer.
“What is ‘Criminal Record Expungement’?
The ‘Criminal Record Expungement, Clearing Convictions, Restoring Lives to Citizens’ project, initiated by the Royal Thai Police, is an effort to update personal history criteria to align with the 2017 Constitution of Thailand, Section 29 (2). This section stipulates that an individual should be presumed innocent if there is no final judgment against them.
This initiative arises from the discovery that, each year, more than 800,000 criminal cases occur, involving over 13 million people from Thailand’s population of 66 million. It has been found that individuals who have been charged with criminal offenses but later acquitted by the courts still have their criminal records maintained in the criminal history database. This situation can adversely affect their opportunities for employment, as organizations or companies may be reluctant to hire individuals with a criminal record.
The Royal Thai Police have amended laws, regulations, and revised the storage of personal histories in three categories as follows:
- Registry of Suspects:
- Registry of Non-Criminal Offenders
- Criminal Record Registry Along with this, criteria have been updated to align with the principle that “if there is no final judgment, an individual is presumed innocent.” The revised criteria include:
- Individuals whose cases have been conclusively dismissed.
- Individuals with a history of drug use who have completed rehabilitation.
- Individuals who have received a pardon.
- Individuals who have been granted amnesty.
- Individuals without repeat offenses in a span of 20 years.
- Suspects who are children or juveniles.
- Cases that are statute-barred.
- Laws that expunge criminal records.
- Laws that decriminalize certain acts, such as the use of cannabis or kratom leaves.
- Individuals who have received a new judgment declaring them not guilty.
Criminal Background Checks: How They Benefit Individuals with Cleared Records and Society
Criminal background checks are a process used to review an individual’s history of offenses before they are employed. If the person has a past but has since been cleared, their criminal record will be erased, offering a chance to those who have erred but reformed themselves. The benefits of conducting criminal background checks in aiding individuals with cleared records and society are as follows:
1. Offering Employment Opportunities to Those Who Have Reformed
The process of clearing criminal records enables individuals who have committed offenses but have since reformed to have employment opportunities. When their criminal history is checked, their past offenses do not appear, increasing their chances of being hired. This not only offers them a chance to work again but could also provide opportunities for career advancement in the future.
2. Addressing Structural Issues in Society
The lack of opportunities for individuals with a criminal history, particularly those from impoverished backgrounds, leads to social exclusion and perpetuates societal inequality. By clearing the criminal records of reformed individuals, it not only provides them with employment opportunities but also helps them achieve financial stability and escape poverty, thereby addressing social inequality issues.
3. Reducing the Risk of Recidivism
One of the persistent social problems is the recurrence of crimes committed by individuals with a criminal history. This cycle often begins with a single offense leading to a criminal record, followed by social exclusion and lack of employment opportunities, driving them to commit further offenses.
the criminal records of these individuals gives them a sense of having a second chance to improve themselves, thereby reducing the likelihood of them committing further offenses and contributing to a decrease in societal crime rates.
4. Enabling Organizations to Acquire Competent Employees
Individuals with a criminal history are not necessarily lacking in skills or abilities. Many have work capabilities comparable to other employees but have past misconduct or criminal records. Therefore, hiring individuals who have criminal histories but have been rehabilitated allows organizations to gain skilled workers. It also provides an opportunity for these individuals to improve themselves and achieve stability in their lives once again.
Additionally, expungement can benefit individuals with a criminal history who have abstained from crime for a long period and show no tendency to reoffend. This provides them the opportunity to secure meaningful employment, rebuild their lives, and become valuable citizens of society once again.
Summary
The expungement of criminal records for individuals with a past history of offenses offers them a chance to reform and reintegrate into society. Additionally, it effectively addresses the issue of crime prevention.
Before hiring, organizations should use reliable criminal background check services that provide accurate and prompt information. The APPMAN CRIMINAL CHECKER service is a leading option for organizations, offering quick results without the need for extensive paperwork, and utilizes modern methods for automatic data retrieval, helping organizations select quality employees more effectively.
