There are exceptions to this general rule. The exceptions fall into 3 categories:

• exceptions classified by reference to the sentence served (see Criminal law aspects/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/penalties excluded from rehabilitation );

• exceptions classified by reference to the offence committed (see Criminal law aspects/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/proceedings excluded from full rehabilitation );

• exceptions classified by reference to the type of job which the person concerned is doing or is applying for. Most, but not all, of these exceptions (essentially jobs with special responsibilities to the general public) are those listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order, SI 1975/1023, as amended (see Criminal law aspects/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/exceptions ).

Thus in the employment field a person who has been convicted of an offence cannot take the benefit of the "spent conviction" rules in connection with job applications/dismissals/disciplinary proceedings etc for the professions, employments and occupations listed in the schedule to SI 1975/1023 (as to which see Criminal law aspects/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/exceptions ).

A general Home Office consultation on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, July 2002 ("Breaking the Circle" - 103 pages) was published in July 2002 (there is an Home Office explanatory summary of the consultation on the Home Office web-site). Separately, the Department for Work & Pensions published a "report no. 155" entitled DWP report 'Barriers to work for offenders and ex-offenders', December 2001 (and see 2001/12/11 - DWP press release re research "Barriers to work for offenders and ex-offenders).

NACRO (the National Association for Care and Resettlement of Offenders) of 169 Clapham Rd, London SW9 0PU (tel 020 7582 6500) can often provide useful help and advice.

See also Criminal law aspects/vetting of job applicants