Home Affairs Minister David Burch yesterday attacked parents who expect Government to take responsibility for problems caused by children born following "moments of passion".

Sen. Burch said it was impossible for the prison service to single-handedly rehabilitate repeat offenders when much of their behaviour can be attributed to society.

During the Senate's Budget Debate on Corrections a department within his Ministry Sen. Burch reacted angrily to complaints about the Island's rising recidivism rate.

He launched a verbal assault on the lack of old-fashioned values he believes is to blame."If we get parents in this country to act like they are responsible and raise their children and don't comment at Government, who's had no child, you start to solve some of the problems," said Sen. Burch.

Hitting back at Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley's comment that fathers should not be locked up for failing to pay child arrears, Sen.

Burch said such measures were necessary to "get them to understand they need some self-discipline".

The Minister added:"We must do it to force people to accept responsibilities that they entered into in a moment of passion when Government wasn't around.

"We can't look at Corrections and expect that Corrections can do what its name implies correct everything that's wrong in society."Earlier, Progressive Labour Party Senator Walton Brown had stated:

"There are a whole range of people who get convicted of offences who should not be in prison."Sen. Dunkley expanded on the suggestion regarding fathers in arrears, saying:

"There are people incarcerated for this and it makes no sense."Calling for alternative solutions to the "revolving door" of prison for such offenders, he added:

"There are many fathers who are way behind in arrears and it's not right, but we have to find a way."

United BermudaParty Senator Gina Spence-Farmer aired concerns that, according to the Budget, the recidivism rate climbed from 68 percent last year to 78 percent now.

Sen. Spence-Farmer said Bermuda was "under siege" and that fathers were in prison when they should be at their dinner tables at home.

She said the cycle of repeat offending was perpetuated when prisoners were released without having learned basic skills to find a job.

"Our recidivism rates clearly show for some people the prison has become a place called home," said Sen. Spence-Farmer.

TheSenator referred to a study of inmates by Profiles of Bermuda in 2002, which she helped carry out as a volunteer and revealed a number of trends she said have not been properly addressed.

Sen. Burch argued that a number of initiatives are in place to train inmates and that it was not all doom and gloom.

PLP Senator Kim Wilson, the Attorney General, pointed out people behind in their arrears were only jailed after failing to obey a court order, which is contempt of court.Fellow PLP Senator Wayne Caines said the impact was the same.