The comments referred to are inaccurate and unfair. They are inaccurate because they take no account of a range of services provided to those in custody including medical, psychiatric, psychological, welfare, work/training and education. They are unfair because they denigrate the excellent work done, day-by-day, by prison staff, doctors, psychiatrists, welfare officers, work trainers and teachers who put so much valuable work into caring for those in custody. Those working within the prison system operate on the basis that it is their duty not just to contain prisoners in custody until lawful release but also to help them to cope with their sentences, to develop their abilities and skills and to lead them towards a constructive life in the community on release.
Presumably what is at issue here is the provision of special treatment programmes for prisoners convicted of sex offences. In approaching this topic we have to be very realistic about what is and what is not achievable. I know of no prison administration which has devised a treatment programme which will guarantee that sex offenders who participate will not repeat offences on release. There appears to be a number of different approaches aimed at reducing recidivism but no one programme stands out as offering exceptionally good results. The task is to evaluate what is available and, if practicable apply it to our situation.
In fact, since last year a small specialist group in my Department has been carrying out a feasibility study of what may be available by way of a treatment programme which is practical, achievable, sustainable and open to evaluation. I understand that the group's work is almost finished and that I may expect to have their reports in a week or two. When I have assessed the group's recommendations I will make a further announcement. I should like to emphasise again that while this study is in progress, prisoners continue to have access to a range of services including medical, psychiatric, psychological, welfare, training and education on an individual basis.