Risk assessment of 1,100 sex offenders almost completed
The Garda Síochána has also set up four specialist video-recording facilities for children who have been abused and are currently signing contracts for another three.
More than 50 gardaí and probation officers have undergone specialist training in how to manage sex offenders.
Deputy Commissioner Martin Callinan said there had been a number of developments in relation to the risk assessment and management of the risk sex offenders posed to society.
“Because of the complexities involved in this area of policing, a sustainable strategic approach, with a focus on the national and local levels, has been adopted by An Garda Síochána,” said Deputy Commissioner Callinan.
He said there had been significant investments in training and co-operation with other agencies involved in monitoring sex offenders. Dep Comm Callinan said that the Policing Plan 2009 committed the organisation to enhancing its management of sex offenders.
“An Garda Síochána has built up a strong and effective working relationship with the Probation and Welfare Service in this regard and a comprehensive training programme has been developed and delivered to more than 50 members of An Garda Síochána and the Probation and Welfare Service staff.
“By drawing on best international practice a risk assessment model has been devised to assess the likelihood of re-offending. Risk assessment of the approximate 1,100 persons who are subject to the obligations of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 is now at an advanced stage.”
He said a further training programme was currently being delivered to gardaí and probation staff focusing on the next stage of the programme and pilot projects would come on stream next year.
Dep Comm Callinan said a recent legal development which had, in many ways, the “greatest potential” to improve the service to child abuse victims was the development of specialist child interviewers and video-recording facilities.
“Since November 2008 An Garda Síochána has a statutory obligation to video-record the statements of all children under 14 years of age, or persons over that age with an intellectual disability, who are victims of a sexual offence.”
He said four dedicated suites had been established in 2009 and are in operation in Dublin North, Sligo, Letterkenny and Cork city.
He said contracts had been signed for a further three suites and two of them, in Waterford and Dublin South, should be in operation by the end of this year. The third facility would be in place in Limerick by next February.
Dep Comm Callinan said an extensive four-week training programme for specialist child-interviewers had been developed and was being delivered at the Garda College in Templemore for gardaí and child workers attached to the HSE.
