Finding child sex offenders a home

Enhancing public safety and reducing re-offending by managing risk.

If a child sex offender has completed their full sentence they have to be released from prison just like any other offender.

It’s Community Probation & Psychological Services’ (CPPS) job to do a thorough assessment to find them somewhere to live that will keep the community as safe as possible.

“These offenders often have nowhere to go. They have generally burned their bridges with their family,” says CPPS Waitemata Area Manager Alastair Riach.

“Finding them a place to live is all about risk management on a case-by-case basis. We do everything we can to keep the community safe,” he says.

“For example, we avoid placing child sex offenders near schools. But what if an offender has a responsible family member who will take them in and keep tabs on them, but that person lives near a school? Is it less risky for the offender to be there than living alone in a Housing NZ flat, but not so close to a school?

“We must always think through the consequences. If the offender can’t live here – where will they go next?”

CPPS staff weigh up factors such as: proximity to places where children play or walk, previous offending patterns, access to transport and support services, whether the offender has done well in their treatment programme and whether a responsible adult is willing to have the offender living in their house.

“Our best case scenario is for the offender to be able to live with an ‘approved adult’,” says Alastair.

An ‘approved adult’ knows about the offending, understands what high-risk situations are for the offender, and will do their best to keep the offender out of those situations. This might be a family or church member.

If no approved adult can be found, probation officers work with the offender to find somewhere else. Around fifty to eighty offenders a year leave prison to ‘supported accommodation’ – a programme which offers support as well as a place to live.

Alastair says it’s very rare for child sex offenders to be put in motels on release.

“Generally we only use motels for a night or two if a previously suitable address falls over for some reason. Perhaps a family with children moves in next door, or we discover that a previously approved adult was allowing the offender into high risk situations,” he says.

CPPS staff work closely with the Police in all cases where high-risk child sex offenders are released into the community. Neighbours and school principals are advised on a case-by-case basis.

“If an offender is released on parole and is an opportunist we certainly advise neighbours about the ‘stranger danger’ risk,” says Alastair.

Corrections can also seekto impose restrictions on the offender, such as a residential restriction to stay at home when children are on their way to and from school.

With high-risk offenders Corrections can apply to the Courts for an extended supervision order. If granted this means we can monitor the offender for up to ten years (as opposed to the usual six months).

Principal Psychologist Jim van Rensburg, who treats child sex offenders at Corrections’ Te Piriti Unit, says the findings of a recent study highlight the importance of suitable accommodation.

“The study shows that suitable accommodation is the most significant factor in whether child sex offenders will re-offend or not,” he says.

“These findings mean we should focus increasingly on good reintegration planning. Co-operating with CPPS and other community agencies will be essential.”

At June 30 this year there were 496 child sex offenders serving a sentence or order in the community.