Drug Treatment for Sex Offenders: UK PIlot Program

by Jordan Yerman | June 13, 2007 at 06:12 am

379 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

I imagine the "libido-reducing drugs" mentioned in the article below are the same as used in so-called chemical castration. It does not escape my attention that such measures are not taken when dealing with murderers or rapists who target adults. As the technique linked above is not really proven, perhaps the solution lies in the sentencing phase of the criminal-justice system, and not during the parole or release phase. Perhaps Britain is, in this case, legislating with the heart and not the head.

Plans to offer more drug treatments to child sex offenders to try to stop them committing more crimes have been announced by the Home Office.

The treatment involving libido-reducing drugs or anti-depressants would be given on a voluntary basis.

Parents will also be able to ask for checks on whether new partners or people dealing with their children are known sex offenders.

But the Home Office says details will not be available to the wider public.

Convicted paedophiles will also be subjected to lie detector tests if there is a suspicion they are targeting children.

Home Secretary John Reid said he was introducing 20 measures aimed at strengthening the way child sex offenders were dealt with.

He said the law was being updated to allow parents and guardians who had a relationship with someone who had unsupervised access to their children to register concerns about their child's safety with the police.

If that person was a convicted sex offender, the presumption would be that the parent or guardian should be informed, said Mr Reid.

The scheme will be piloted in three areas, at a cost of £2m, as soon as legislation can be introduced - from around April 2008.

Mr Reid said allowing everyone to have access to information about sex offenders - a measure known as Megan's or Sarah's Law - could drive paedophiles underground.

At the moment, employers can request a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check if a potential employee is going to work with children, while private citizens cannot.

Some of the most persistent sex offenders are already offered drug treatment, but the Home Office says this provision could be increased.

Mr Reid said more sex offenders would be offered drug treatment on a voluntary basis as part of a £1.2m package of improvements to treatment and supervision.

Offenders will have to provide more information including their email, internet and passport details to the authorities as well as informing them if they begin a new relationship with a single parent.

And the Home Office will also introduce trials on the use of compulsory lie-detector tests in the supervision of offenders.