Government is defending its approach to minor offences, saying people, particularly young people, should not have their futures damaged by a conviction for a mistake.
The issue was raised during an Ideas Forum in St Andrew, where concerns were also expressed about crime and the need to give young people a second chance.
Former police officer Johnathan Best spoke passionately about the impact of crime and the number of young people being drawn into the criminal justice system.
The comments prompted a response from Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams, who highlighted that there is now a shift in the treatment of minor offences.
He pointed to social programmes and youth initiatives as part of the effort to divert people away from the criminal justice system.
The Attorney General also exemplified that simple possession of marijuana does not result in the same type of conviction as in the past.
