The Vetting Epidemic in England and Wales

What is it about?

England and Wales has the most advanced system of criminal record retention in the western world. It is used to disclose extremely sensitive information to a vast array of employers, public sector organisations and voluntary groups, in a supposed attempt to prevent undesireable individuals from accessing positions where they might have unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups. This article charts the rise of this epidemic of vetting 'everyone, everywhere' and asks why this epidemic came to pass, what could have been done to prevent it and how this position has been allowed to come into being almost entirely unchecked.

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Why is it important?

The number of criminal record checks processed per annum currently stands at around four million. Criminal record checks have become a part of modern life - a necessary safeguard against 'another Ian Huntley'. This article seeks to explain how this situation has arisen, identifies that the process has been entirely reactive, rather than proactive, and questions whether the present state of affairs has gone far beyond it's stated public protection remit.

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