Police given right to raid homes of sex offenders

Police are to be given new powers to enter and search the homes of convicted sex offenders, Tony Blair announced today. The powers, which come into effect later this year, allow police to enter a property to look for evidence that a paedophile might be planning an offence. Officers will search computers as well as looking for evidence of magazines, or the presence of children's toys or clothes. Police believe this pre-emptive action could prevent many sex crimes from happening, instead of waiting until it has occurred. The Prime Minister, in a speech to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, said he believes the change could significantly improve child protection. [...]

[One reaction below this article:] I think people have to be aware that this measure has nothing to do with protection of children or anything similar, but is the first step towards another far more sinister erosion of our civil liberties. Any knowledge of crime statistics will reveal that convicted sex offenders, particularly those convicted of crimes against children, have one of the LOWEST rates of recidivism. This is far more sinister, and when the government think that the "public will support the move", they are right. When introducing something that will eventually be used against all of us, do it initially against those perceived as the lowest form of scum on the planet. God help this country. - Peter Thornton, Salisbury, Wiltshire

source: Article 'Police given right to raid homes of sex offenders'; www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=434895&in_page_id=1770&ito=1490; Daily Mail; 8 February 2007