Sex offender anomaly - Onus on Government to protect

KEEPING track of sex offenders can be difficult at the best of times.

But when probation officers admit they are unable to supervise them properly, the situation becomes alarming.

Penalties exist for breach of post-release supervision orders, but officials claim they have no way of imposing them.

Astonishingly, probation officers lack the legal powers to bring an offender back to court. So, even if an offender failed to keep appointments with an officer, or was seen engaging in shady behaviour near a school, no procedures exist to bring him/her before the courts.

While Section 33 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 makes it an offence for a sex offender to breach a supervision order, it fails to specify measures whereby probation officers can bring an offender to court.

This is an issue of grave concern.

There is an onus on government to remedy the situation.

Amending legislation must be fast-tracked as a matter of urgency.