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Based on the Law Reform Commission (LRC)'s recommendation, the Sexual Conviction Record Check (SCRC) scheme will be implemented by the Police on December 1 this year. Employers of organisations or enterprises, when engaging persons to undertake work relating to children or mentally incapacitated persons (MIPs), may check whether their prospective employees have any criminal conviction records against a specified list of sexual offences (see Annex) through the Auto-Telephone Answering System (ATAS).
The checking scheme to be implemented provides employers with a reliable channel whereby they may ascertain whether applicants applying for relevant work have any sexual conviction records against a specified list of sexual offences. The scheme serves to minimise the risk of sexual abuse to children or MIPs and afford better protection to them, a Government spokesman said today (November 15).
The scheme can prevent previous sexual offenders from obtaining the trust of employers by deliberately withholding their past sexual conviction records and molesting children or MIPs again through contact with them in the course of their work.
The scheme is only applicable to prospective employees seeking child or MIP-related work in an organisation or enterprise at the present stage. Employers of organisations or enterprises, when engaging persons to undertake work that requires frequent contact with children or MIPs, may request the prospective employees to undergo checking through the scheme. Applications for the check should be submitted by the prospective employees voluntarily.
The design of the checking scheme is guided by simple application and checking procedures to facilitate the use by employers and prospective employees.
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Applicants who wish to submit applications should make advance appointment through the ATAS operated by the Police, and attend in person with the required documents on the appointment day at the SCRC Office located at 14/F, Arsenal House, Police Headquarters, 1 Arsenal Street, Wan Chai.
The check result will be valid for 12 months dated from the first uploading of result onto ATAS. The result will be available for unlimited times of access during the validity period. Applicants may apply for withdrawal or renewal of their checking accounts. The application fee is $115.
Details of the scheme, including application form, Notes to Applicants, Notes to Employers and Protocol can be downloaded at the Police website (www.police.gov.hk/scrc).
For enquiries about the scheme, please call the Police's enquiry hotline 3660 7497, or visit the Police website www.police.gov.hk/scrc .
In February 2010, the LRC published a report on "Sexual Offences Records Checks for Child-related Work: Interim Proposals" after thorough discussion and extensive public consultation, recommending the Administration to expeditiously establish an administrative mechanism for sexual conviction record check to enable the criminal conviction record for sexual offences of person who undertake child-related work and work relating to MIPs to be checked so as to enhance protection to these persons. The LRC also makes specific recommendations on the operation of the scheme to address concerns on human rights and rehabilitation of offenders.
Ends/Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:54
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