The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is an executive agency of the Home Office, established in March 2002, to provide organisations, in England and Wales, employing persons in positions of trust, with a streamlined mechanism to assist their recruitment process.
It was conceived under Part V of the Police Act of 1997, largely in response to public concern about the safety of children and vulnerable adults and its purpose is achieved by providing a service called 'Disclosure'
This is a carefully regulated one-stop-shop service that enables organisations to gain access to important criminal and other information for recruitment and licensing purposes. Such screening is particularly valuable for the protection of children and other vulnerable members of society.
