Government of Barbados Moves to Reform Expungement Law: ‘Clean Slate’ After 15 Years

A photograph of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs of Barbados, Dale Marshall. This image was obtained from the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation.

By Val Matthias. Updated 12:35 p.m., Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The Government of Barbados is advancing sweeping reforms to its criminal records expungement legislation, introducing measures that would allow rehabilitated offenders to have their convictions erased after 15 years without reoffending.

The Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday and will be referred to the Select Committee on Governance and Social Policy for national consultation.

Under the proposed framework, convictions for treason, murder, rape, child exploitation, child pornography, terrorism-related offences, and firearms crimes will remain permanently ineligible for expungement.

Government officials emphasized that while the reforms are designed to give rehabilitated citizens a fairer chance at re-entering the workforce, the state must also send a strong message on the gravity of violent and high risk crimes.

The Barbados Government underscored its commitment to public dialogue, noting that the bill’s referral to committee ensures citizens and stakeholders can contribute to shaping the reforms.

Officials noted that many Barbadians continue to face barriers to employment due to criminal records, and the expanded system is intended to provide genuine second chances for those who have rebuilt their lives.

-END-

The information was sourced from: linktr.ee/barbadostoday.