Thousands of Criminal Records Expunged

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is reporting that “tens of thousands” of criminal records have been expunged, following the passage of The Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Act in the Houses of Parliament earlier this year.

Mr. Chuck made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 10.

“We widened the Act a couple of months ago, which allows us now that if you committed a non-custodial offence before 2005, which is an expungable offence, you can get your records expunged. I have to report that tens of thousands of these have been expunged,” he stated.

“These ex-offenders no longer have to apply. If the records show that this non-custodial offence was there, then it should not be on the official criminal records,” he added.

Automatic expungement applies to non-custodial convictions where the sentence was imposed and completed prior to January 1, 2005, provided that the individual has not been convicted of another offence.

Minister Chuck also informed that the Ministry has increased the number of commissioners on the expungement committee to nine and that they are now meeting at least once per week to get rid of the backlog, adding that “we had about 2,000, it is now under 2,000”.

“I would like to urge ex-offenders, don’t wait until you are travelling, don’t wait until you need [to] apply for a new job. If you know you have committed an offence, you can apply and, hopefully, get the record expunged,’ he said.

“Especially those who had drug offences, you will recall colleagues that we removed the drug offences from the third schedule. Also, if your sentence was more than five years, but less than 10 years, you are now eligible for those expungable offences,” he added.

During the last fiscal year, more than 800 individuals had their criminal records expunged, out of a total of approximately 1,500 applicants.