HC Deb 22 June 1990 vol 174 cc728-9W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made since March 1989 on reducing re-offending by child sex abusers and identifying predicting factors.

Mr. John Patten

[holding answer 18 June 1990]: A number of initiatives have been put in hand since March 1989.

A working group has been established to review existing arrangements for the treatment of sex offenders in prison service establishments and consider ways in which they can be developed and better co-ordinated, with the object of reducing the likelihood of re-offending upon release. The aim of the group is to co-ordinate and develop better arrangements for the care and treatment of sex offenders in custody to reduce the likelihood of re-offending after release.

Her Majesty's inspectorate of probation is currently undertaking an inspection of the probation service's treatment of sex offenders. Its report should be available later this year. This will give a much clearer idea of the range of existing programmes and will contribute to decisions on how best to develop the supervision and treatment of sex offenders in the community.

The proposals in the White Paper "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" (Cm. 965) for the supervision by the probation service of offenders following their release from custody are aimed at reducing re-offending. The probation service has a key role to play in making offenders, including sex offenders, face up to what they have done; this is often the first step in preventing further offences.

The Home Office contributes to the work of the inter departmental group on child abuse and a sub-group on working with offenders has recently been established so that the various Departments can develop a framework for a strategic central approach.

On the question of predicting factors, the Institute of Psychiatry has been carrying out a study of sex offenders in prisons. The purpose of the study is to try to identify factors in sex offenders' histories which appear to distinguish them from other types of offender and non-offender populations and which may help in making decisions about which types of sexual offender are likely to benefit from treatment and which may not. The institute is also carrying out a study of convicted rapists. The purpose of the study is to describe the offenders and their offences in detail and to assess their treatment needs.