§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, when a convicted sex offender is released from prison, it is standard practice to alert the police force covering the area in which it is expected that the offender will reside; and, if not, why not. [HL2014]
§ Lord BachYes. A mandatory instruction was issued to prisons in August 1997 requiring them to inform the relevant police force when sex offenders who are subject to the Sex Offenders Act 1997 are released. There is also a statutory requirement on those sex offenders themselves to notify the police of their address and other details on release from prison.
It is not standard practice to alert the police of the release of other sex offenders.