In other words, accept responsibility and earn back your reputation.
Hiding the truth seems like the exact opposite of that.
It seems like “true defamation” could be a lie of omission. If someone harps on about a past misdeed but omits N years of atonement, that’s misleading, even if true.
This depends on risk of course. You and society shouldn't be exposed to undue risk because of that assumption. But limitations on the offenders freedom to - for instance - perform certain jobs after their release should be decided by a court, not the general population.
Accumulated years of not repeating the mistake. And people will disagree on how many are necessary.
> And people will disagree on how many are necessary.
I think you've hit the nail on the head, there is unwritten large variance timeframes that people "need to have met" for atonement, it isnt an easy solution.
The radiation continues to affect, long after the nuclear explosion.