Supervised early release for sex offenders who co-operate with a rehabilitation programme is one of the more controversial recommendations in a report published by the Irish Prison Service today.
The report, recommends sex offenders who successfully participate in rehabilitation programmes be given supervised release earlier rather than being "left to the last day" of their sentence.
The report, The Development of a new multi-disciplinary Sex Offender Rehabilitation Programmewas based on successful treatment programmes in Canada, the UK and the US and was written by Dr Francesca Lundstrom on behalf of the prison service.
It recommends there should be specific training for staff involved with sex offenders regardless of whether there is a special programme at the prison.
A suitably qualified person or multi-disciplinary team should be available in every prison where a sex offender is being held, the report added.
The report said that in some prisons sex offenders should be integrated with other inmates and allowed associate with other offenders. It suggested the establishment of halfway houses and community-based programme for released offenders.
It also recommended the development of a criminal justice database with information about offenders which could be used by the various agencies operating the criminal justice system.
According to Mr Jim Mitchel of the IPS the next step is putting the recommendations to the various parties concerned including staff representatives and Government agencies.
He said the report also gives a critical analysis of existing treatment programmes such as the intensive ten-month sex-offender rehabilitation programme at Arbour Hill and the Curragh.
There are up to 370 sex-offenders in Irish prisons at any one time and their participation in treatment programmes depends on individual assessments.
There is no blanket programme Mr Mitchell said: "There is no element of compulsion and those on the programmes have to first apply and are assessed for suitability."
All concessions and early releases would be conditional on strict supervision, he said.