Two-thirds of sex offenders recommit crime, survey shows

Up to two-thirds of sex criminals commit second offenses, showed a recent Supreme Court survey.

The survey team tracked - over eight years - 341 convicts who were found guilty of rape in 1999-2000. Of them, 219 or 64.2 percent were later caught and convicted of similar charges, said officials.

The average number of second offenses was 2.35 times per person and the average time between the first and the second offense was three years and five months.

A total of 38 ex-convicts or 11.1 percent committed rape offenses and 181 committed other sex crimes, showed the survey.



The number of repeat offenders was even higher, if those who had sex crime records before year 1999 are included.

The second offense rate also tended to be higher for those sentenced to repeated jail terms or for young criminals who were first arrested in their teens or 20s, according to the survey.

The sentences delivered by the court, however, did not always consider second offense results.

"In several cases, first-timers were given a higher sentence than second offenders," said Cho Eun-gyeong, psychology professor at Hallym University who led the survey.

"The court may have intended to reform first offenders through severe sentences, but should take the risk of second offenses more seriously when handing down rulings."

A bill on felon DNA information, passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday, is to take effect in July, according to the Justice Ministry.

The law, when in effect, will allow investigators to collect and keep record of the genetic information of major felons in order to prevent second offenses.

(tellme@heraldm.com)



By Bae Hyun-jung