High-risk sex offenders could be tagged

The electronic tagging of high-risk sex offenders is being considered by Government, it emerged tonight.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern revealed a project board is exploring if rapists can be monitored for six months after their release from prison.

The minister said while not all sex offenders pose the same level of risk, those who do re-offend are a serious threat.

“I am very conscious that victims and the public generally have particular concerns about sex offenders,” said Mr Ahern.

“We must do all in our power to enhance public safety by ensuring that the considerable resources of the criminal justice agencies are working in a more joined-up and focused manner at all times.”

Mr Ahern launched a report which reviewed the management of sex offenders from conviction through custody and on to release into the community.

It stressed new interventions were needed for sex offenders in prison, more focus on their transition back into the community, and gardaí needed more power to get information on sexual predators.

Elsewhere it found the levels of risk posed by convicted sex offenders must be assessed at critical stages during their detention using international standards.

“There is no miracle approach that can guarantee 100% success,” the minister continued.

“Research also shows that the best opportunity for changing offending behaviour is properly supervised and supported reintegration into the community and that resources should follow risk – that most attention should be directed at the higher risk sex offenders.”

Fine Gael’s Charlie Flanagan said the report was a vital step in ensuring the criminal justice system was effective.

But he stressed there was already a very low intake in the current sex offender rehabilitation programme in prisons.

“Nothing has been done to address this matter despite expert recommendations that incentives be introduced to make the programme more attractive,” said Mr Flanagan, the party’s justice spokesman.

“Of the 578 sex offenders released in the last five years, only 42 have completed the programme.

“An integrated approach is vital but producing a report and setting up a team to examine its contents cannot be an excuse for inaction in the short term.”

Olive Travers of Nota (National Association for the Treatment of Abusers) said the group welcomed any initiative which showed good co-operation between the agencies.

“Electronic tagging will be good if it works, but we have to remember we are talking about a tiny minority of sex offenders, less than 1%, who would be in that high risk category,” added Mr Travers.

“We judge every measure by its success in protecting children and vulnerable adults.”