Paedophiles released unsupervised

High-risk child sex offenders are being released unsupervised into the community because the wheels of justice are turning too slowly to enforce their extended supervision, says the Department of Corrections.

The department says the courts' handling of the Parole (Extended Supervision) Act 2004, allowing for the ongoing supervision of paedophiles who have served their sentences, has "slowed" and the department is concerned.

"The fact that ES (extended supervision) applications are taking such a long time, with frequent and lengthy adjournments is of concern because of the high number of respondents coming off their sentences before the application is resolved," the department says in the September issue of an internal publication.

"These respondents are serious child sexual offenders deemed at a high risk of re-offending if unsupervised in the community."

The department is currently seeking extended supervision for 26 convicted paedophiles -- 19 of whom are not serving any sentence or court order.

It says of the 35 applications for extended supervision so far heard by the courts, 34 have been granted.

The department is appealing the one application that was declined.

Of resolved cases, the department says when convicted paedophiles defend themselves against extended supervision applications, it takes 93 days on average for the courts to make a decision.

"The department's concern is for those situations where length adjournments would potentially result in a high-risk offender being unsupervised in the community."

- NZPA