Child Sexual Crimes and Recidivism Rates Increasing Annually... What Are the Measures After 'Jodusun's Release?

From 921 Cases in 2016 to 1,217 Last Year, Increasing Annually Over 4 Years
Recidivism and Reoffense Rates Remain High with No Victim Measures After Sex Offenders' Release

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The number of sex crimes against children under the age of 13 continues to increase. The recidivism rate of released sex offenders is also on the rise.

According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Lee Hyung-seok, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea (Gwangju Buk-gu Eul), the number of sex crime victims under the age of 13 was 921 in 2016 and has steadily increased each year, reaching 1,217 in 2019.

By type of crime, rape and forced molestation accounted for 90% to 92% of all victim cases. Cases of obscene material damage using communication media such as the internet also showed an increasing trend, rising from 50 cases in 2016 to 83 cases last year.

The recidivism rate for sex crimes compiled by the police was 6.3% as of the end of last year. The re-incarceration rate of released offenders who completed the Ministry of Justice’s psychological treatment program for sex offenders averaged 16.6% over the past four years. This means that more than 6 out of 100 sex offenders commit sex crimes again, and 1 to 2 out of 10 sex offenders are re-incarcerated.

Amid ongoing concerns about the recidivism of sex offenders, it has recently been reported that Jo Doo-soon, the sex offender who assaulted an 8-year-old girl, will return to the area where the victim child lives after his release, heightening anxiety among local residents.

The police have proposed alternatives in preparation for Jo Doo-soon’s release, such as providing the victim’s family with a “smartwatch” (a device that alerts the victim’s family if Jo Doo-soon approaches), assigning dedicated monitoring personnel, and installing CCTV cameras.

However, it is known that the victim’s family and others remain anxious. The current primary care physician for the victim child stated, “If it is impossible to prevent the offender from coming to the same neighborhood, at least the victim’s family should be able to move to another area,” and is conducting fundraising activities, raising doubts about the effectiveness of the police’s measures.

Assemblyman Lee Hyung-seok emphasized, “It has been 12 years since Jo Doo-soon’s horrific crime occurred, but the police have yet to present reliable measures to protect victims after his release,” adding, “The increase in child sex crimes over the past four years reveals the limitations of existing measures, so it is necessary to seek prevention of various sex crimes including new types of digital sex crimes and long-term support measures for victims.”