Gay Mitchell
Question:35 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice the programmes for the rehabilitation of sex offenders which operated in Arbour Hill Prison from 1988 to 1991; and the reason the programmes were abandoned.
Written Answers. - Rehabilitation of Sex Offenders.
During the period in question a pilot programme for such offenders was developed by probation and welfare officers for a group of prisoners in Arbour Hill Prison. The primary objective was to promote victim awareness and discourage repeat offending.
The result of this pilot programme were assessed in the context of a review of treatment programmes for sex offenders in prison and a discussion document on the subject was published in July last. Work is continuing apace towards the introduction of a formal prison-based structured programme for sex offenders.