A SENIOR official with the Probation Service has said that forcing serious sex offenders out of supervised accommodation and on to the streets where they live unmonitored creates a far greater risk for the community.

Vivian Geiran, the deputy director of the service, said while it was understandable that people would be upset when a released criminal was moved to their neighbourhood, driving these offenders underground only increased the danger of them repeating their crimes.

Since the new year, three major protests have been organised in various communities after residents discovered a sex offender had been housed in their area.

In January, Brian Shevlin – who was convicted of rape – was due to be given accommodation in Ratoath, Co Meath, but the move was cancelled after protests from neighbours.

The following month another repeat offender, Michael Murray, who attacked four women, was also forced to move home after his location was made known.

Murray has taken a High Court case in an attempt to stop media organisations from pursuing him, claiming he cannot live anywhere, because as soon as he moves, newspapers reveal his address and print pictures of him (see story to the right under the heading related articles).

Geiran said that virtually every person in the prison system would eventually be released from jail and had to go somewhere.

"The number of people dying of old age in jail is practically zero, and that is the reality," he said. "Some people feel that particularly high-profile offenders should not be housed near any other people, but try and find somewhere like that in Ireland. Our focus is on public protection, reducing the likelihood of reoffending, and one of the critical factors in all of that is stable accommodation."

Geiran said Irish society had two alternatives when it came to high-risk prisoners being released from prison: either try and plan supervision for them or let them out and hope for the best.

He said: "That is the alternative – that the person walks out the door and wonders, 'Will I turn right or left? Will I sleep in a hostel or in a doorway?' That does not serve anybody particularly well, and the chance of reoffending is drastically increased.

"There is a perception that once somebody is labelled a sex offender, they are all the same. International research shows that not everybody presents the same level of risk: usually low, medium or high.

"Some of the people released will be in the very high-risk category. I would be the last to say that some of these people are not dangerous. Every effort needs to be made to ensure that they do not reoffend.

"There is not any perfect location for high-risk offenders. We try to weigh up all the different risks and also resources. While proximity [being too close] to schools and other facilities is seen as important, it is equally – if not more important – to have in place a monitoring supervision and support package."

Geiran said forcing sex offenders to start moving around was by far the most dangerous option of all, as monitoring becomes impossible.

"In that situation, they can end up with even greater access to vulnerable people," he said. "There are a very small number, over the whole of the country – less than what you can count on your hands – of very high-risk individuals for whom we need very structured supported accommodation in place."

Sex offenders generally fall into three categories: those imprisoned prior to a register, who have no obligation on leaving prison; those who must report to gardaí on release; and another group who are subject to supervision after jail.

"In an ideal world, local communities could be made aware of who is living in their midst," said Geiran. "But with this type of offender, once their location becomes known, it can lead to a backlash. It is absolutely understandable. But the backlash is not going to be very helpful. I've seen individual offenders, some of whom I've known myself. We have been able to work with them; they have not reoffended – they still would continue to technically pose a risk but because we know where they are and can engage with them, I feel confident that we have made local communities safer.

"What we are trying to do is the only game in town. There is not really another option. We cannot afford to allow for a situation where just because we didn't bother, that further victimisation or [repeat] crime happens."