Police will begin holding regular interviews with convicted child-sex offenders who are released from prison, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
Former convicts 49 or younger who have multiple convictions for violent sex crimes will start undergoing the interviews in April, subject to their consent, the NPA said.
The police have been receiving updates on the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders involved in cases against minors 12 or younger, from the Justice Ministry since 2005.
Based on research on the convicts, the agency found the recidivism rate of those released on parole was lower than for those who served their sentences, indicating probation is an effective deterrent to repeat crimes.
As a way to complement the probation system, the agency has decided to introduce regular interviews.
The agency said it expects the interviews to help freed offenders maintain their self-discipline and said the new system does not necessarily mean the agency considers them dangerous.
Commissioner General Takaharu Ando told reporters Thursday that the NPA expects the new scheme to help the freed convicts rehabilitate themselves and contribute to preventing recidivism.