More sex offenders live in Tayside and Fife per head of population than anywhere else in Scotland.
New Scottish Government statistics show there are between eight and nine registered sex offenders (RSOs) for every 10,000 people in Tayside and between seven and eight in Fife, compared to a national average of around six.
The report analysing policing performance revealed a steady increase in Courier Country since 2009, showing there were around 616 individuals across both regions at the end of last financial year (2011/12).
A total of 30 RSOs from the Tayside and Fife and Forth Valley areas were rearrested for flouting the terms of court orders up from 21 in 2010/11 and eight in 2009/10.
The number of offenders who went on to commit a further sexual or violent crime after their conviction more than doubled in the last year from five to 11.
A spokesman for Fife Constabulary said: ”Our multi-agency MAPPA arrangements allow us to manage risk effectively and assist to identify those offenders who do not comply with the conditions of statutory supervision, resulting in offenders returning to custody.”
Tayside Police has operated a Child Sex Offender Community Disclosure Scheme since September 2009, giving parents access to information on individuals who have contact with their children.
A force spokeswoman said: ”Tayside Police, together with local authorities, the Scottish Prison Service, health and other partners under the Multi-Agency Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), will work to manage high-risk offenders within the community to try and ensure the appropriate safety and support mechanisms are in place.”
Other data in the report showed Fife had the third-highest domestic abuse rate per head in Scotland last year, with Tayside fourth.
Those positions were repeated for the number of problem drug users living in each area.
Ruth Thomson, Manager of Fife Women’s Aid, said: ”The frequency of reports of domestic abuse is alarming. However, we are cautiously hopeful the most recent statistics represent a willingness in women to come forward.
”This hope is borne out by our own experiences, with a 10% increase in demand for our services last year, compared to 2010/11. ”
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