Poland to introduce electronic bracelets for paedophiles

Poland is to introduce electronic bracelet monitoring for convicted paedophiles released into the community after serving prison terms as of 2012, its justice minister said Wednesday.

"Due to the large number of paedophiles who return on the criminal path, we have created measures, thanks to which after serving their prison term, these perpetrators will be put under electronic monitoring," Krzysztof Kwiatkowski said, quoted by Poland's PAP news agency.

Last September, Poland adopted electronic monitoring allowing convicts with prison terms of up to one year behind bars to serve their sentences outside jail.

The move to extend electronic bracelets to monitor convicted paedophiles comes on the heels of a new law on obligatory chemical castration for paedophiles convicted of rape and perpetrators of incest which came into effect in June.

Under the law, anyone convicted of rape of a minor aged under 15, or a close family member, can be obliged by a court ruling to undergo "pharmaceutical and psychological therapy in order to reduce sex drive", after having served a prison term.

Before making a ruling on the appropriate therapy, a court must consider the opinions of psychiatrists, sexologists and psychologists.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk first raised the controversial issue of chemical castration for convicted paedophiles and perpetrators of incest in September 2008 after a 45-year-old man was charged with having raped and held his 21-year-old daughter captive for six years.

The woman gave birth to two children, in 2005 and 2007, allegedly the result of having been raped by her father.