UK criminals on probation commit a murder and rape a week: Survey

London, August 1(ANI): A survey by the UK Ministry of Justice has revealed that criminals in the country were committing a murder and rape every week while supposedly being under the supervision of the Probation Service.

The figures show that prisoners released early from jail, or those carrying out community service, murdered 94 people in the last two years and raped 105.

The Ministry of Justice figures also showed that in total, offenders under the watch of probation officers carried out more than 1,000 serious further offences in the two years up to April - the equivalent of ten serious crimes a week, The Telegraph reported.

Reacting to the report Claire Ward, the Justice Minister, expressed concern at the rate at which crimes were being committed and said that her government was working to protect the community from these criminals.

"Any serious offence is of great concern and we send our sympathies to the victims of such crimes. The offender alone is responsible for their crimes, and for the terrible impact they have on victims and their families. We are constantly working towards having the best possible systems in place to supervise offenders in the community and protect the public," the paper quoted her, as saying.

The figures further showed that offenders under probation supervision were convicted of 1,034 serious further offences between March 2007 and April this year, the offences included 94 murders, 105 rapes, 43 life-threatening arson attacks and 78 kidnappings or abductions.

"The number of serious further offence convictions by all offenders supervised by the Probation Service was around 0.3 per cent last year. While every such crime is a matter of great regret, this figure is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of probation officers, who deal on the frontline with some of the most dangerous and unpredictable people in our society," Ward said.

"The vast majority of serious further offences are committed by offenders given a community order by the court having been convicted of less serious offences. In most cases, nothing in their previous offending histories has indicated that they would be capable of such serious offences," she added.

The figures raised concern over the efficiency of the probation service to keep an eye on crooks under its supervision. (ANI)