April start for new sex offenders scheme

reports some paedophiles and rapists boycotting existing treatment programme

By Ryan Crighton

Published:

The new treatment programme to rehabilitate sex offenders will not be rolled out until April, despite reports that some paedophiles and rapists are boycotting the current scheme.

The Press and Journal revealed in August that plans were being drawn up to replace Peterhead Prison’s sex offender treatment programme after stinging criticism from Scotland’s top prisons inspector.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said the new “incentive-based” replacement would be phased in this year.

An SPS source has told the Press and Journal that around 10 offenders have pulled out of the current programme after reading reports that it is failing, however.

Despite the exodus, a spokesman for the service said last night it would be at least the spring before prisoners could enrol in the new course. Formally known as Stop, the current programme was once described as the “jewel in the crown” of the Scottish Prison Service. Its international reputation was at the centre of the case for retaining Peterhead Prison when the jail was threatened with closure a few years ago. Stop was, however, criticised last year after a damaging report by Andrew McLellan, who has since stood down as HM chief inspector of prisons for Scotland after seven years. He said there were not enough rehabilitation places, many of the most serious offenders would not sign up, and there was little evidence that the scheme worked. It also emerged there was only a 6% difference in reoffending between those who did and did not finish the course. The SPS has already come under fire for not revealing details of what incentives will be offered to offenders to take part in the new scheme.

The government body said the new programme would include “motivational work to encourage sex offenders to participate in appropriate interventions to address their offending behaviour”.

Labour shadow justice secretary Richard Baker recently lodged a parliamentary question to get MSPs answers on what will be on offer to those taking part. The north-east MSP hit out when his request was dodged by prison chief Mike Ewart. He said: “The lack of detailed information on how this programme is going to be changed and what these incentives will be is unacceptable.”

Scotland’s 300 worst sex offenders are held in the Buchan jail but will be dispersed throughout the country once the HMP Grampian is built to replace it.