§ Lord Corbett of Castle Valeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prisoners convicted of sex offences have been assessed as suitable for the sex offender treatment programme (SOTP); how many have undergone such a programme; and what are the estimated extra resources needed to ensure that all such prisoners are given SOTP before release. [HL5163]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalThe sex offender treatment programme is open to all adult male prisoners who have been convicted of a sexual offence, or whose index offence appears to have a sexual motive, and to those who have been convicted of a sexual offence in the past and are assessed as needing to participate in the programme. Candidates must be assessed as suitable for participation in the programme and must be willing to participate in it.
No records are kept centrally of the number of prisoners who have been assessed for a place on a sex offender treatment programme, and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
In England and Wales, between 1992 and March 1996, 1,716 sex offender treatment programmes were delivered. Between April 1996 and March 2003, 5,012 accredited sex offender treatment programmes were completed. This is a net figure following a quality audit. The target for 2003–04 and 2004–05 is 1,240 post-audit completions each year. We estimate that this figure is in line with the numbers eligible for these programmes.
There are about 130 men convicted of sexual offences currently held in prison in Northern Ireland and an increase in staffing levels would be required to increase treatment provision for these offenders.