P.275
Analítico de Periódico
THOMAS, Terry
When public protection becomes punishment? The uk use of civil measures to contain the sex offender
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, Netherlands, V.10,n.4(2004), p.337-351
PROTECÇÃO SOCIAL, CRIME SEXUAL, JUSTIÇA CRIMINAL, SEGURANÇA URBANA, PREVENÇÃO CRIMINAL, DIREITOS DO HOMEM
In keeping with many countries the UK has moved the problem of sexual offending up the political agenda. On the criminal justice side sentences have been increased and supervision periods extended. On the civil side a raft of new measures have been put in place to regulate the behaviour of sex offenders in the interest of community safety and child protection; this paper examines these measures and, in particular takes the sex offender "register" as a case study to show how political imperatives have been brought to bear with little reference to the research or professional views of practitioners in this area. It is contended that under these political pressures, what starts life as a preventive, regulatory measure can easily become a more punitive measure in its own right; as such it may be liable to challenge by those subject to it for failing to fulfil its primary purpose and for straying across a line between the civil and criminal aspects of intervention.