An 18 year old convicted for a shoplifting offence should not have to wear that record like a scarlet letter for the rest of his or her life, whether seeking employment or travelling abroad. Even in the case of more serious crimes, such as a sexual assault conviction, the perpetrators should have access to pardons, providing they demonstrate that they are back on the right path. But, they should not be given the pardon granted automatically, as they apparently are now. After a period of time, the police should check that there have been no subsequent offenses. The request is then made in writing, and the National Parole Board rubber-stamps it. Only a tiny percentage of requests are turned down. The law does not differentiate between minor or major offenses, besides the wait time of 3 or 5 years after the sentence. The application process is the same for both, largely a paper transaction read by officials behind closed doors.
I understand that people who have been convicted of minor offenses wish to be freed from the record so they can live ordinary lives. I believe they deserve this opportunity to redeem themselves for the mistakes they have made. If they can show they have learned their lesson and that they will willingly abide by the law, they should be freed of that burden. When it comes to major offenses such as murder, robbery, or assault, I do not believe the convicted should have such an easy way to remove such a serious crime off their record. If they have ruined or ended somebodies life, why should their procedure for pardon be as easy as someones who had just made a simple mistake? The difference of murdering someone and spraying graffiti on a wall is monumental. The murderer should have to bear that burden until he has proved that he has changed. He should not just submit a document pleading his innocence with the chance of the officials approval.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/791260--make-pardons-more-transparent
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