The Ministry of Justice hopes to prevent criminals from becoming reoffenders by making better use of rehabilitative programmes.In a press conference on Monday elaborating on points made in this year’s Throne Speech, Minister of Justice Kim Wilson detailed several initiatives aimed at reducing recidivism.She said that there are already numerous rehabilitation programmes available in the Island’s correctional facilities, and that legislation will be put forward to modify sentencing regimes so inmates take advantage of them.“Proposed amendments to the law will include the requirement for inmates, depending on the length of their sentence, to serve a minimum of 12 months before becoming eligible for parole, to allow time for participation in rehabilitation programmes,” she said. “In addition, consideration is also being given to revising the minimum time served for life sentences before parole. Policy development and research in this regard is ongoing.”She also said a new sentencing framework for young people will be developed, along with a new classification of sanctions related to different types of drugs. Mrs Wilson said the proposed changes would have to be able to serve as a deterrent, while preventing unnecessary periods of imprisonment.“This in turn will continue to ensure that the right message is delivered to our young people that narcotic use has harmful consequences and is condemnable,” she said.“At the same time, our society will ensure that it does not compound those consequences for all of us by a miscalibration between the degree of illegal usage and the penalty meted out.”The Minister also touched on the issue of electronic monitoring, saying that a one-year contract for a pilot programme was signed in October this year, and that consideration is being given to expand the programme from police bail and firearms-related matters to those otherwise on bail, parole or probation.The programme she added could also have a “special significance” in monitoring sexual offenders on parole and probation. “The potential benefits of this initiative are behaviour modification of offenders, intelligence gathering and enhanced public safety,” she said.“The broad aim of these measures is to reduce the prison population, decrease criminalisation and recidivism and further ensure that the emphasis for specified infractions shifts from a punitive approach to achieving voluntary compliance.”Regarding sexual offenders, she said: “The Ministry’s responsibility in this regard includes institutional treatment while offenders are incarcerated as well as post-incarceration measures to prevent further offences. The resources within the system will be marshalled accordingly to obtain expert advice and researched information to ensure best practices and effective institutional strategies when dealing with such offenders.”Mrs Wilson also promised a review of the Sexual Offenders Registry to ensure that it is serving its intended purpose.She also said that Government was moving forward on a Mental Health Treatment Court programme, intended to holistically deal with mentally ill offenders and keep them out of the “usual revolving door scenario.”