THERE are few crimes which occasion as much public revulsion as sex offences and, in particular, sex offences committed against children.

We know that such crime has been perpetrated throughout history, but consciousness of it has without doubt been raised since the advent and expansion of the mass media of communication.

However, if technology has increased awareness of sex offences, it also has major roles to play in combating the evil and those responsible for it. Forensic science, for example, now leads to prosecutions which, not too many years ago, would not have been possible for lack of evidence.

The ways in which data can be shared and easily accessed are also significant factors, though databases and electronic exchange of information are inherently less dramatic than the wonders now performed through DNA analysis and other up-to-the-minute techniques.

But it is simple list-keeping that will very shortly contribute to the increased safety of the Island’s children and, indeed, adults who might be the targets of sexual predators. The States have overwhelmingly backed the creation of a sex offenders’ register as part of the new Sex Offenders Law and this should be in operation by Easter next year.

The register will not, of course, put an end to sex offending, but it will be a vital asset when it comes to keeping track of offenders and those who present risks so serious that they merit listing even before prosecution. It will also enable the Royal Court to impose restrictions on where those on the register can live and travel.

In terms of human rights, the register is potentially controversial – particularly in cases where people are listed before they have acquired a criminal record. But, as Home Affairs Minister Ian Le Marquand made clear in the States, if it is a question of weighing up basic rights against the propensity of predatory sex offenders to do untold harm, the priority must be to protect the innocent.

It is estimated that the register and the new law will cost the Island more than £430,000 a year, a sum which is clearly significant in these difficult times. That said, it is a price that must be paid for a new level of security – not least because much of it will be spent not merely on monitoring sex offenders but on efforts to rehabilitate them.