MINISTERS have been accused of “serial mismanagement” after it emerged the number of checks carried out on convicted sex offenders has been slashed.
High risk offenders – those likely to re-offend within five years – are visited at home only four times every year.
Two years ago, home checks by police and other agencies were carried out monthly.
Guidance from the National Offender Management Service was changed so that only offenders regarded as “very high risk” will still be visited 12 times a year.
High-risk offenders only merit four checks a year, medium risk get two visits, while low-risk offenders are now checked only once.
Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve said: “The Government has created a black hole in the probation budget which means frontline services are being cut.”
