Clarke unveils plans for violent offender order

Violent offenders on parole could be subjected to a new order that would impose tight restrictions on their movements, the home secretary announced today.

Charles Clarke unveiled plans to introduce a violent offender order similar to the order currently imposed on sex offenders.

Breach of the order could lead to a prison sentence of up to five years.

Clarke’s announcement followed a report by the chief inspector of probation in February that found failings in the supervision of two offenders who killed financier John Monckton.

Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers, predicted the proposals would require “massive” resources and said Clarke was “worryingly silent” on costs.

He called on the government to look at alternatives including investing in rehabilitation programmes in prisons to reduce risks of reoffending and ensuring that dangerous prisoners were not released on licence in the community.

Fletcher added: “It is essential that ministers stop blaming the under-resourced probation service when release decisions go wrong. No-one can reduce the risk of re-offending to zero and politicians need to accept that fact.”