Poland’s Ministry of Justice has announced that an electronic monitoring system will be used to tag convicted paedophiles.

The new system will be introduced in 2012.

Justice Minister Krzysztof Kwiatkowski said on Wednesday that the special tagging ankle bracelets are seen as a preventive measure, as a large group of individuals convicted of pedophilia often are repeat offenders once leaving jail.

Minister Kwiatkowski also said that the tagging system would be helpful in verifying if perpetrators of sex crimes are undergoing obligatory medical treatment. 

It would also help prevent stalking.

The necessary legislation should be adopted by next summer and the system should become operational by the following year.

So far, the electronic tagging system in Poland is used for felons convicted to less than a year of imprisonment. 202 people in Poland have been fitted out with the ankle bands.  In the future it is also planned to use the tagging devices on soccer hooligans issued with stadium bans. (ek/pg)