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News

News Archives: Index

October 7, 2010: Probation Set For Industrial Action

October 5, 2010: Turning Prisoners Into Taxpayers

October 4, 2010: Murder Changes Now In Force

September 20, 2010: Probation Programmes Face Cuts

August 24, 2010: Victorian Poor Law Records Online

August 10, 2010: Justice Job Cuts

July 28, 2010: Prison Violence Growing

July 22, 2010: Police Numbers: Latest Figures

July 22, 2010: New Jurisdiction Rules

July 16, 2010: CCJS On Prison And Probation Spending Under Labour

July 15, 2010: Latest Statistics On Violent And Sexual Crime

July 15, 2010: Latest National Crime Figures

July 15, 2010: New Chief Prisons Inspector

July 14, 2010: Hard Times Ahead For Prisons: Anne Owers

July 14, 2010: Prison Does Not Work: Ken Clarke

July 13, 2010: Criminal Justice Reform: Sentencing and Rehabilitation

July 13, 2010: Criminal Justice Reform Priorities

July 12, 2010: What Price Public Protection, Asks Probation Chief Inspector

July 12, 2010: NOMS has failed, says Napo

July 10, 2010: IPCC To Investigate Death of Raoul Moat

July 9, 2010: Women In Prison: New Report

July 9, 2009: Unjust Deserts: Imprisonment for Public Protection

July 8, 2010: Police Search Powers Change

July 7, 2010: Make 'Legal High' Illegal, Says ACMD

July 2, 2010: Failing Children In Prison

July 2, 2010: Police Buried Under a Blizzard of Guidance: HMIC

July 1, 2010: Freedom To Change The Law?

June 30, 2010: A New Outlook On Penal Reform?

June 30, 2010: Revolving Door Of Offending Must Stop, Says Clarke

June 30, 2010: Ken Clarke: Speech on Criminal Justice Reform

June 29, 2010: No More Police Targets

June 26, 2010: Family Intervention Projects Questioned

June 25, 2010: Cutting Criminal Justice

June 24, 2010: Napo on Sex Offenders Report

June 23, 2010: Closing Courts: The Cuts Begin

June 23, 2010: Strategy To Tackle Gangs

June 15, 2010: Courts and Mentally Disordered Offenders

June 8, 2010: Working With Muslims in Prison

June 1, 2010: Your Chance To Nominate a QC

March 3, 2010: New Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme

Today the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, announced the roll-out of a pioneering scheme that will improve protection for children. The child sex offender disclosure scheme gives members of the public a formal mechanism to make enquires about people who are in contact with children.

Under the terms of the scheme, a parent, carer or guardian or another interested party can request that an individual who has access to their child or children is checked to see whether they have a record of committing child sexual offences.

Piloted in four police areas over the past year, the scheme will roll out to a further 18 police force areas from August and will reach all forces by the end of March 2011.

Alan Johnson said:

‘I am determined to do all I can to protect children and families from sex offenders. The UK already has one of the most robust systems in the world for the management of sex offenders, the new scheme will build on this ensuring more children are kept safe.’

The disclosure scheme pilot protected more than 60 children from potential abuse over the 12-month period. The police areas involved received 585 enquiries and 315 applications, with 21 disclosures made about registered child sex offenders. A further 11 general disclosures were made, while another 43 cases led to a range of other child safeguarding actions.

Sara Payne, Victims’ Champion, commented:

‘The evaluation has shown the huge benefits of increased but controlled access to information. The input of the police, children’s charities and academics to the pilots has ensured consensus has been reached and we are working together to keep children safe.’

The disclosure scheme builds on the UK’s existing system for actively managing sex offenders. This system includes the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), the Criminal Records Bureau and multi-agency public protection arrangements.

The government has also further strengthened powers to protect children being exploited for sex. Tough new closure orders targeting premises associated with child prostitution or child pornography come into effect on 1 April.