First treated sex offender released from jail

| 23/03/2017 | 33 Comments

(CNS): The rehabilitation of offenders has become of significant importance at the prison since the change in the law that now requires all inmates to demonstrate that they have changed before they are released early. But one of the most challenging issues for the prison is dealing with sex-offenders, who are considered to be notoriously difficult to rehabilitate. However, one of twelve inmates to undergo a sex-offender management programme at HMP Northward has now been released back in to the community, providing the first test for the prison in terms of successful rehabilitation.

Prison Director Neil Lavis confirmed this week that 11 prisoners out of the 12 who were enrolled in the first course of its kind ever offered at HMP Northward have completed the programme, and early indications are that it appears to have been a success. Lavis said that the one inmate who has been released appears to be doing well and there have so far been no issues reported by the probation services of repeat offending.

The problems dealing with convicted sex offenders, especially those who have abused children, are challenging, but with the new legislation these prisoners, like all others, have a right to a parole hearing and an opportunity to demonstrate a change in their behaviour once they have completed 60% of their term. As a result, the jail introduced the specialist course conducted by a forensic psychologist.

Historically, sex-crimes, especially against children, have not been given the priority they deserve in Cayman, given the frequency of them, as demonstrated in a number of recent high-profile court cases where investigations were forgotten or ignored and where failures in evidence collection and poor interview technique saw suspects walk free.

However, the government recently formed a new unit, the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub, where police, social workers and health professionals have joined forces to focus on the abuse of children and vulnerable adults. The goal of MASH is to keep children safe by removing them from danger when reports are made and ensure that offenders are also apprehended.

But efforts to reduce the number of people in the community prepared to perpetrated sex crimes against children remains an important part of the government’s goal to have a much more comprehensive response to sex offending. This means that the prison will play an increasing part in the issue of rehabilitation of these offenders.

With no public sex offenders register in Cayman, the details and identity of the first prisoner to be released following the rehab course has not been named. Although he is understood to be under the watchful eye of the police and community rehab teams, the public will have to place their trust in the authorities that the rehab programme has worked and that he is being carefully monitored, ahead of further releases of convicted sex offenders in the coming months and years.

The new Conditional Release Board is understood to be starting its work considering all offenders who were handed more than twelve months in jail after the change in the law was implemented last February. All prisoners who have completed 60% of their time for any prison term of a year or longer will go before the new board and demonstrate that they are fit for release to get out of jail before they complete their full sentence.

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Category: Crime, Crime Prevention, Prison

Comments (33)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Oh no, somebody please tell me that the rehab program doesn’t consist of prayers and promising Jesus to be good.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Soo wait….releasing this person is a “test” for how the prison rehabilitation is working!!!! WTF!!!! so the public is being used as bait to wait and see if this person re offends?? WOW just WOW!

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  3. Anonymous says:

    How about providing extra staff to rehabilitate and offer programs instead of trying to do it on a shoestring and half arsed

  4. RMK says:

    The only how they will ever be “cured” is through chemical castration! Then no-one will ever have to fear of themselves, their child or loved one being raped/molested by these sick individuals who Government released!

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    • Sexygrandma04 says:

      They better not even think of looking my way or they’ll wish the thought didn’t cross their mind in the first place.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Every comment I just read shows signs of ignorance and exposure to propaganda. The fact is that, according to studies that follow the behavior of sex offenders who have been released from incarceration, sex offenders are the LEAST likely to commit another sex crime. Most sex offenders do not re-offend again in their lifetime. The media has completely overstated the facts. All other types of criminals, excluding murderers, are MORE likely to repeat their crimes than sex offenders are.

    The internet is rife with false information about sex offenders. For example, although the media is constantly reporting the arrest of offenders that refuse to comply with registration laws, we are learning in the United States that sex offender registries serve little or no valid purpose. The offenders that comply with registration laws are even less likely to re-offend than sex offenders in general. The ones that refuse to notify the authorities about changes in their home, work or school address are the ones that are the most likely to re-offend. So, while the government spends huge sums of money to maintain a sex offender registry and law enforcement agencies spend thousands of man hours updating the registry and spot checking the whereabouts of former sex offenders, the most dangerous people are overlooked.

    Children and women are more likely to be the victim of someone NOT on the registries that someone who is on them, because repeat offenses are not nearly as common as the media has been suggesting. Furthermore, it should be noted that the vast majority of sex offenses are perpetrated by someone the victim knows (a family member, relative, friend, teacher, coach, religious leader). So looking at a registry to locate strangers who committed a sex offense in the past is pointless. Strangers are rarely the problem.

    Money would be better spent educating children about what would be considered inappropriate behavior by trusted adults. Teaching them about “stranger danger” provides limited protection from a small percentage of sex offenders. Finally, people who think that because someone has an attraction to children they are destined to rape them are ignorant. Millions of men have an attraction to women, but that does not mean they are all destined to be rapists. Having an inappropriate thought, inclination or desire is human. Acting upon them is immoral, hateful or criminal.

    But, once a person is punished for acting wrongly, he or she can choose to no longer act on wrong desires or thoughts. I personally know of sex offenders that committed offenses in the past and they are now very different people. When they learned how hurtful their conduct was and how much harm they caused the victims and the families of their victims, they felt deep shame and sadness and vowed to never ever commit a sexual offense again.

    Sexual attraction of any kind is strong, but most of us choose to control desires when we believe the result of our not controlling them would be harmful to us, our families or the object of our desire. Those that fail to control themselves offend others and should be punished. But everyone deserves a second chance, especially if they agree that their desires are abnormal and want to control them. Whether you accept that rehabilitation is rare or common, people should be giving a chance to redeem themselves.

    People who are willing to throw other humans away (to lock them up forever) or mutilate their bodies (by castration) after their first failure to control wrong desires are showing that they are unmerciful and that they have a wrong desire for vengeance and retribution. Sex offenders have loved ones and families too. What happens to them when we show no mercy to contrite offenders? Have you ever been forgiven for something you did wrong? If your friend or relative committed a sexual offense, would you want them to be given a second chance?

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    • Anon says:

      Thank you for that comment! Thankfully someone gets it!!

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    • Sinbad says:

      If you wish to leave your 9 year old baby girl with a sex offender and chance then go right ahead. But don’t try to push your philosophy on other people cause once the deed is done you can go back and undo it. So best to you

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    • A concerned parent says:

      I guess you don’t know anyone who has been a victim of a sex offender? Why don’t you ask a victim what life is like after being violated. And NO, sex offenders do not deserve a second chance. We don’t need to follow propaganda on the internet, we have had SEVERAL repeat sex offenders right here on Island that have been in and out of jail for sex crimes. Sex crimes are violent and degrading, and they leave very deep scars on the soul of the victim.

      If anyone of these sickos re-offends, I truly hope that the person sues the government.

      Sex offenders rehabilitated – What a load of crap!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Stop making excuses. If as much effort was made during sex education to explain that raping someone or molesting them is more serious that teaching them how to put a condom on, we would have less sexual crime.

      I cannot even believe this drivel was published, but by your many words you convey the illusion of intelligence.

      Common sense you do not have. Just ask the parents and the victims. This world has gone stark raving mad.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If it was my son or daughter who was the victim, I would forgive..eventually, but there is no way they should be let loose to re-offend. Life is not a rehearsal. Damage inflicted on other lives is a serious thing. Be very sure that you do not lighten it with your sanctimonious pen.

    • Beth says:

      Sex offenders DO re-offend my dear, I know this man from North Side who was married to an American, he was released from Northward just before Ivan, and he went nuts on a then Ritz Carlton employee who was staying in a house by the bay on Bodden Town. He took advantage of the fact that there was no power yet and that sick bastard raped that poor woman all night, police got him close to BT Police Station and he’s behind bars ever since.
      If you gonna put those animals back on the streets, castrate them, cut their fingers off and while at it, cut their tongue too, that way they have nothing to commit the offense with…you can seat there in your comfort zone thinking they are fully rehab, until reality come knocking on your door. You’ll change your mind if a love one is the victim. Let’s hear how much compassion you got left then!

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    • Anonymous says:

      I wish a fraction of the time and funds spent on “rehabilitating” sex offenders would be spent on victims and their families.

      If you choose to take a chance with your children to be around someone who was previously convicted of a sex offense, go right ahead….however you need to ensure you accept that others don’t want to take this chance and so people should be given a choice and not have everything swept under the rug by Government. At the end, nobody is prepared to provide a guarantee…………….

    • Anonymous says:

      You call them “other humans” and want to give them a second chance? You have got a nerve.
      How about victims of rape who has got no chance in this life to be normal again, to live with PTSD of various degree to the end of their lives?
      So shut the F. up.

    • 345 says:

      Finally, a comment by someone who has read the research and is making an informed comment. I understand that the general public is frightened by the idea of a sex offender in their community. But, as stated above, treatment programs are effective. I encourage those brave enough to be willing to challenge their opinions, to go to Google Scholar, rather than just Google, to read the actual facts and not the alternative facts.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’ve seen enough documentary interviews with sex offenders admitting that their desire to re-offend is so strong, that incarceration is the only way to protect the children. Their brains are wired differently and they can’t resist the temptation to molest children!

      At the very least we need to know who these creeps are.

  6. Anonymous says:

    We badly need sex offender list. Advise with photograph of offender. People need to know about these persons moving in their area. You did the crime so face the consequence. A lot of repeat offenders in many instances.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    “Historically, sex-crimes, especially against children, have not been given the priority they deserve in Cayman,” WTF, they still don’t deserve priority. Harming children is as vile as it gets. Bastards to rot in hell for there transgressions.

    of all the things our gov’t choices to resolve, unbelievable

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  8. Anonymous says:

    In the last heart breaking scene of the movie Like Children (2012), you can see that they CAN’T change even if they want to, even if they never acted on their desires. People like the guy in the movie must be treated in a mental institution.
    I don’t think that all sexual offenders in the Cayman Islands have mental problems, many do it because they can, allowed by society ( only 5 comments on the child-abuse article) and because it is a “cultural” thing. Their sentences must be increased dramatically with no possibility of early parole.
    Honestly, there are no qualified mental health professionals on this island. What I mean by qualified is that when a co-worker went to see a psychiatrist, her scheduled visit, he just renewed her prescription and charged $250, when (her words) he was supposed to have a session with her, not a quick in and out visit. I am sure many of his patients will agree.

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  9. lo-cal says:

    Why would government waste time and resource on this instead of trying pushing for harsher sentencing is beyond me.

    My only question is, if one of these sex offenders relapse and hurt my child and is murdered by me, what are you going to tell me? how long will the judge give me? will i also get a chance at early release after rehab?

    Sex offenders cannot be rehabilitated! No one can change desire, no matter how much you talk or pray about it. If a child turns you on then a child will always turn you on. Work with people who can change, small drug dealers, users, even thieves but leave the offenders to rot. As a matter of fact time will be better spent increasing the sentence for these kind of offenders.

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  10. Lost says:

    WOW! Just, wow.

  11. Anonymous says:

    The public needs to be alerted when a sex offender is released and people who live in the area need to be notified. This is especially the case when child molestation was involved when those offenders are ordered to stay away from certain areas such as schools, play grounds etc. Nobody can GUARANTEE a rehabilitation of anything or anyone.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    They CAN’T change their behaviour. It is in their blood and bones. How naïve to believe otherwise.
    ..”a right to a parole?” how about right to life without eternal PST torture of sexual abuse! How about victim’s rights?
    Everything is backwards in this country. Did God created it on Monday?

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Sex offenders cannot be rehabilitated, unless chemically castrated or physically! Do the research and you will see the experts arrive at the same conclusion. I wonder which child/woman will prove it?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, how can the demonstrate they have rehabilitated when they are incarcerated with people who they do not have a propensity to abuse? Makes no sense. Without castration our society is at risk.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Sex offender treated? What kind of BS are you feeding us? Watchful eye under the police that is the biggest joke I have heard this year!!!

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  15. A concerned parent says:

    NO! This is not good enough and we have no sex offenders registry? Sex offenders can’t be rehabilitated and it is a proven fact! Are they waiting for them to rape someone again before they realize rehab does not work? And as for the police closely monitoring them, how long will that last? A person who has been raped or sexually molested should not have to see the face of their attacker on the street.

    This is just so appalling. Cayman is moving backwards in the protection of it’s children and law abiding citizens. They put people in jail for frivolous offenses and release sex offenders? The next government better put the sex offenders registry in place as a priority.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Just another day in our much improved Civil Service. Who do we blame for this great and potentially life saving initiative.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    Get them registered, Or just keep the fb page going.

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  18. anonymous says:

    A sex offender registry is direly needed. C’mon Cayman

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  19. Anonymous says:

    Offender’s name, please?

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