Protecting the public

The revelation in The Herald today that two sex offenders have been released on condition that they agree to electronic monitoring orders of eight and 10 years respectively will probably polarise opinion. Some will say that if these two men are so likely to re-offend that they must be confined to their homes for at least 12 hours a day, they should not have been released in the first place. Indeed, some believe certain categories of sex offender, such as paedophiles whose condition is not deemed to be treatable, should be incarcerated for life. "Lock them up and throw away the key," is a well-worn phrase.