New laws to ensure sex offenders attend after-sentence treatment could be on the books by next year, it was revealed yesterday.

And Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox said: "Probably in another month or two we will be in a better position to give a more realistic time frame on some issues which will be going forward as soon as possible.'' Ms Cox, however, ruled out any change in the law for sex offenders in the first 100 days programme of the PLP Government.

She said: "This is something we have been discussing with the Commissioner of Prisons.

"But it's not something we will be proceeding with in the next 100 days.

"We had thought about this year, but there are a number of issues which will have to take priority.

"The treatment of sex offenders will go hand-in-hand with the new halfway house.'' Ms Cox said the plight of long-term residents was among the front burner problems which would have to addressed soon.

She added: "There is already some provision for sex offenders and that is something which needs to be reviewed in terms of tightening up.'' Prisons Commissioner Edward Dyer last month signalled new rules governing the after-prison treatment of sex offenders as he signed a new deal with Canadian prisons chief Ole Ingstrup guaranteeing closer links between the two services.

Mr. Ingstrup told prison officers at the Wesgate signing ceremony that Canada now had laws which allowed for supervision for sex offenders outside prison walls for up to ten years after a jail term was completed.

And he added that new treatment programmes for sex offenders had cut the repeat offence rate by up to 50 percent.

But Mr. Ingstrup warned that treatment inside prisons -- for violent offenders and drugs and alcohol addicts, as well as those convicted of sex crimes -- were also vital.

He added that risk assessment for offenders was "quite effective'' and helped to predict good candidates for early release -- although he stressed no system was perfect.

But he said cutting sentences was of little value unless sufficient numbers of support professionals with realistic case loads were available.

Ms Cox added yesterday: "I think, to be frank, what is certainly significant is that when we have people coming out of prison, it's helpful if we're not just preparing them, but the quid pro quo of preparing the community to accept them and help them reintegrate back into the community.

"It's also trying to make people aware and helping offenders getting on with their lives after they've served their time.'' COURTS CTS