Clean slate for moving on in life

REFORMIST: William Lanigan is pleading with employers to give reformed prisoners a second chance to make something of their lives. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Remorseful criminals have chance to leave past behind

William Gene Lanigan's criminal past haunts him when he applies for jobs but he believes the Government's Clean Slate Act will enable reformed prisoners like him to move on in life.

The 54-year-old Whangarei grandfather has pleaded with employers to lend a helping hand in employing many former convicts who, in hindsight, regretted their past actions and were keen to utilise their time doing something productive in society.

His comments followed revelations that nearly 4500 Northland criminals have been allowed to hide convictions from prospective employers under the act that came into force in November 2004.

Nearly 16,400 Northland convictions have been concealed from prospective employers, including burglary, assault on a child with a weapon, indecent assault, tax fraud and drink driving causing death.

The act allows people with less serious convictions and/or non-custodial sentences to have them concealed if they have been conviction-free for seven years.

To be eligible for a clean slate, a person must have never received a custodial sentence and not be convicted of a "specified offence", which includes sexual offending against children and the mentally impaired, which can never be concealed.

While clean slate histories are hidden from most employers making an enquiry about a criminal record, convictions are still disclosed in applications for jobs as police, judges, and roles involving the care of children. Criminal histories were also visible to law enforcement agencies.

Because New Zealand legislation doesn't bind foreign governments, convictions are visible to overseas immigration authorities.

Lanigan, who has completed 300 hours' community work for driving while disqualified, has applied for jobs as a restaurant cleaner and truck driver.

His latest community work order was made in the Whangarei District Court in August last year.

He was first ordered to perform community work of 400 hours on a charge of male assaults female in 2004 and an additional 200 hours for possession of marijuana two years later. He had also served time in prison on drugs charges in the 1980s.

He says his previous convictions are the biggest problem in his finding work.

"A lot of guys in the community are in the same boat. It hurts because the system has dealt with you but you still get pushed around and it goes on and on and you ask when it's gonna stop," he said.

"This act sounds reasonable because there are some of us who have learned from our mistakes and want to move on."

Lanigan said he hadn't been able to convince employers that he was a changed man and doubted the attitude "once a criminal, always a criminal" would change any time soon. Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Tony Collins said while everyone deserved a second chance, concealing some convictions was a real risk for employers.

"I imagine there are other areas where in a position of trust there could be case for the employer being fully informed of the nature of what's happened in the past, and why. In an ideal world, job applicants would come clean about their history regardless of whether it was on record or not."