Vigilante fears over sex register
Friday 24th June 2011, 2:29PM BST.
AN OPEN sex offenders’ register could spur on vigilantes and drive criminals underground, the Home minister has claimed.
Deputy Geoff Mahy (pictured) yesterday defended proposals for the compulsory notification of offenders to exist on a ‘need to know’ basis only.
‘The police have been in close contact with areas where similar schemes have been held in the UK,’ he said.
‘The findings are that sparing disclosure is the correct way forward to prevent these people from going underground and prevent members of the public from engaging in vigilante activity.’
- Read the full story in the Guernsey Press. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are now available online.
- To read Guernsey Press stories in full click here for subscription details. Individual editions are now available online.
Island Life
All about Guernsey
Ambassador of the Year 2011
History & Heritage
Visitor Information
Guernsey's government
Campaigns
Voice For Victims
Voice for Victims is a campaign aimed at promoting the rights of those affected by child sexual abuse.
This is Guernsey
Guernsey Press
Useful Links
Vigilante behaviour only exists where there is a strong mismatch in the values of the public and that of the legal system.
The law is there to protect persons against vigilantism and also against reoffending. If you can’t trust the (previously) non-offending public from conducting vigilante behaviour then how can you trust known sex offenders not to reoffend? Deputy Geoff Mahys statement clearly shows that he does not trust the law to protect criminals, however nor do the public trust the law to protect their children against the same criminals. So in this case, to my mind, it is the law itself which needs to be looked at. The public need feel secure in the knowledge that the law will protect them and their children – this means sentences which fit the crime in combination with rehabilitation programs which are effective.
Report abuse
‘need to know’ basis only, would that cover people with children who have a Peadophile or rapist living on their doorstep ?. All sex offenders should have a special mark tatooed on their forehead to warn of the danger they pose.
Report abuse
To hell with the rights of those convicted of paedophile related crimes, what about the rights of the citizens of the Bailiwick? I for one believe that it is right for the citizens of Guernsey to know who is in their neighbourhood.
As for forcing these criminals underground, there are at least 10/12 know and previously convicted paedophiles walking our streets right now and I am happy for us to take a strong stand in saying that there is no room in our community for these people and if making their details available on a public register helps drive them out of our community then so be it.
Report abuse