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| Sex crime drug treatments planned | Sex crime drug treatments planned |
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| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | But the Home Office says details will not be available to the wider public. |
| Sarah's Law | Sarah's Law |
| Convicted paedophiles will also be subjected to lie detector tests if there is a suspicion they are targeting children. | Convicted paedophiles will also be subjected to lie detector tests if there is a suspicion they are targeting children. |
| Some of them [sex offenders] are desperately struggling with what's going on in their lives, and want help to be stopped Donald Findlater, Lucy Faithfull Foundation Dr Donald Findlater class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6748155.stm">Dealing with paedophiles | |
| Home Secretary John Reid said he was introducing 20 measures aimed at strengthening the way child sex offenders were dealt with. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Some of the most persistent sex offenders are already offered drug treatment, but the Home Office says this provision could be increased. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Any measure that reduces the risk of children being abused is welcome The Pulse Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Any measure that reduces the risk of children being abused is welcome The Pulse Send us your comments |
| 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. | 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. |
| Lie-detector tests | Lie-detector tests |
| 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. | 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. | And the Home Office will also introduce trials on the use of compulsory lie-detector tests in the supervision of offenders. |
| David Davis, the shadow home secretary, questioned how the government would ensure that information passed to parents would remain private. | David Davis, the shadow home secretary, questioned how the government would ensure that information passed to parents would remain private. |
| He also suggested that voluntary drug treatment was ineffective. | He also suggested that voluntary drug treatment was ineffective. |
| "The headlines today are about chemical castration. The reality is that while a voluntary scheme may be useful in some cases, it will not deal with the worst offenders who do not wish to conform," said Mr Davis. | "The headlines today are about chemical castration. The reality is that while a voluntary scheme may be useful in some cases, it will not deal with the worst offenders who do not wish to conform," said Mr Davis. |
| He also complained that a national computer system, which was promised by the government in 2004 after the inquiry into the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, had been delayed until 2010 or 2011. | He also complained that a national computer system, which was promised by the government in 2004 after the inquiry into the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, had been delayed until 2010 or 2011. |
| 'No honour' | 'No honour' |
| Dr Donald Findlater, director of research and development at the child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, said: "I think we have this notion that all sex offenders want to do bad things all the time. Some of them are desperately struggling with what's going on in their lives, and want help to be stopped. | Dr Donald Findlater, director of research and development at the child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, said: "I think we have this notion that all sex offenders want to do bad things all the time. Some of them are desperately struggling with what's going on in their lives, and want help to be stopped. |
| "Some of them have been very enthusiastic about participating in lie detector tests, and indeed would happily take pills if that will help." | "Some of them have been very enthusiastic about participating in lie detector tests, and indeed would happily take pills if that will help." |
| Sara Payne, whose daughter Sarah was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting seven years ago, told the BBC that drug treatment should be compulsory. | Sara Payne, whose daughter Sarah was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting seven years ago, told the BBC that drug treatment should be compulsory. |
| "You're placing an honour based system on people that have already shown they have absolutely no honour. | "You're placing an honour based system on people that have already shown they have absolutely no honour. |
| The murder of Sarah Payne in 2000 prompted calls for new laws | The murder of Sarah Payne in 2000 prompted calls for new laws |
| "These are people that rape, molest our children, take photographs of what they're doing. | "These are people that rape, molest our children, take photographs of what they're doing. |
| "They've already shown that they are the nastiest, I think the nastiest, people in the world because of what they do to children." | "They've already shown that they are the nastiest, I think the nastiest, people in the world because of what they do to children." |
| The US law, known as Megan's Law, named after Megan Kanka, seven, who was killed by a convicted sex offender, gives parents access to names and addresses of known paedophiles. | The US law, known as Megan's Law, named after Megan Kanka, seven, who was killed by a convicted sex offender, gives parents access to names and addresses of known paedophiles. |
| A campaign to launch a "Sarah's Law" - a UK version of the legislation - was launched after Sarah Payne's murder in 2000. | A campaign to launch a "Sarah's Law" - a UK version of the legislation - was launched after Sarah Payne's murder in 2000. |
| Children's charity NSPCC said it was pleased there would be no Sarah's Law because it could drive paedophiles underground. | Children's charity NSPCC said it was pleased there would be no Sarah's Law because it could drive paedophiles underground. |
| But Steve Bevan, from Survivors Swindon, which helps men who have been sexually abused, said people had a right to know where sex offenders were living. | But Steve Bevan, from Survivors Swindon, which helps men who have been sexually abused, said people had a right to know where sex offenders were living. |
| A £150,000 publicity campaign has also been promised by the government to remind people that 90% of child sex abuse is carried out by someone known to the family. | A £150,000 publicity campaign has also been promised by the government to remind people that 90% of child sex abuse is carried out by someone known to the family. |