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Written question asked by Claire Curtis-Thomas (Labour) on Thursday, 16 February 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 February 2006. It was answered by Fiona Mactaggart (Labour) on Thursday, 2 March 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Sex Offenders

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of prisoners convicted of sexual offences participated in the Sex Offender Treatment Programme in prison and on probation in each year since 1995; and how many have been convicted of sexual offences after they were released from prison.
Answer

The information requested is as follows:CustodyThe table shows the number of Sex Offender Treatment Programme completions in custody in each financial year since 1995. The percentage of imprisoned sex offenders completing treatment has been calculated by taking the total number of sentenced sex offenders in prison as of 30 June each year. These figures are only available from 2000 onwards.Please note that some of the completions refer to second or third treatment programmes. Thus the absolute number of prisoners receiving treatment in a given year is lower than the number of completions.HO Research Findings 205 reported an evaluation of prisoners attending the Core SOTP between 1992 and 1996. This study found that 2.6 per cent. of treated sex offenders reconvicted for a further sexual offence compared with 2.8 per cent. of untreated sex offenders over a two-year follow up period. However when further sexual and violent reconvictions were included, 4.6 per cent. of treated sex offenders reconvicted compared with 8.1 per cent. of untreated. There have not been any further evaluations to date.CommunityAccredited sex offender treatment programmes were introduced in the Probation Service in 2002–03. Data on offenders starting treatment are available for 2003–04 (1,051 starts) and 2004–05 (981 starts). In 2004–05 there were 4,767 sex offenders under supervision in the community, 21 per cent. of offenders were participating in accredited treatment programmes reflecting assessments that not all were suitable for the treatment programmes or had conditions of treatment as part of their supervision.A reconviction study is not yet available for sex offenders who have completed treatment in the community, as there has been insufficient time for a meaningful follow-up.The following table shows the number of Sex Offender Treatment Programme completions in custody in each financial year since 1995. The percentage of imprisoned sex offenders completing treatment has been calculated by taking the total number of sentenced sex offenders in prison as of 30 June each year. These figures are only available from 2000 onwards.Please note that some of the completions refer to second or third treatment programmes. Thus the absolute number of prisoners receiving treatment in a given year is lower than the number of completions.

Number of completions Total sentenced SOs Percentage
1995–96 439 — —
1996–97 663 — —
1997–98 671 — —
1998–99 589 — —
1999–2000 585 — —
2000–01 786 5,090 15.5
2001–02 839 5,107 16.5
2002–03 876 5,305 16.5
2003–04 1,091 5,540 20
2004–05 1232 5773 21.5

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
53908; 443 c963-4W;443 c963-4W
Session
2005-06
Subjects
Offenders Prisons Probation Rehabilitation Sexual offences Reoffenders Sex offender treatment programme
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk