Splitting up probation for offenders a 'risk to public'
Splitting up offenders between the public and private sector according to risk threatens public protection.
Offenders are generally not a compliant, problem free, group of people. They disproportionately suffer from mental illness, are four times more likely than the general population to misuse drugs and are 10 times more likely to have been in care.
They need to be supervised by experienced staff who can motivate them and properly assess risk.
– National Association of Probation Officers (Napo) general secretary Harry Fletcher
Private contractors to supervise criminals under new government reform
More than 50 cases have been pulled together by the National Association of Probation Officers (Napo) after it approached members from across the country to provide examples of "complicated" medium risk sex offenders.
Among the offenders who would be transferred to the private sector under Justice Secretary Chris Grayling's shake-up of rehabilitation, are a 32-year-old repeat offender in Greater Manchester who was convicted for violence against a child.
The dossier includes cases of child abuse, harassment by the internet, intent to cause grievous bodily harm, unlawful wounding and instances of repeated domestic violence.
Some 2,300 sex offenders will be among the criminals whose supervision is outsourced to private contractors under government reforms to probation, it was claimed.
Around 3,200 gang members, 8,400 people convicted of domestic violence and 15,900 robbery cases are also among the "medium risk" offenders set for private supervision, the National Association of Probation Officers (Napo) said.
The public will be put at risk if such offenders are taken out of the care of the public sector and transferred to private firms such as G4S and Serco, the union said.
Speaking yesterday, Napo general secretary Harry Fletcher said: "The Government's plans are both chaotic and dangerous."
Downing Street: 'Lie detector pilots for freed sex offenders a success'
A Downing Street source has said today that pilot schemes using lie detectors to manage sex offenders in the community have been a "success". The source said:
It's vital that we protect the public from serious sex offenders. That's why the conditions after they leave prison need to be both strict and rigorously enforced.
The pilot schemes using lie detectors to manage offenders in the community have been a success.
So now we're looking at how it could be rolled out to provide probation officers with more information to manage the most serious sex offenders.
Lie detector pilots found twice as many offenders admitting contact with victim
Serial sex offenders will be made to take lie detector tests on their release from jail, it has emerged. It follows a series of pilots launched by Labour in April 2009 that ran until October 2011 in the East and West Midlands.
Lie detector tests for freed sex offenders. Credit: Arnd Wiegmann / Reuters
It found offenders on lie detectors made twice as many admissions about contacting victims or entering an exclusion zone than without.
Offenders also reported that the tests helped them to better manage their own behaviour, according to the government.
Dangerous sex offenders face being forced to take lie detector tests on their release from jail, it has emerged. Paedophiles and rapists will be made to answer a series of questions about their intentions while hooked up to a polygraph machine.
The results could see the terms of their release restricted or, in the most serious cases, land them back in prison.
There are about 3,000 sex offenders being managed on licence in the community at any one time, with more than 750 considered to be the most serious - the category affected by the proposals.
