THE SRI LANKAN SCENARIO OF PREVENTION OF REOFFENDING IN
CASES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN
G.L. Priyantha *I. INTRODUCTION
Violence against women and children (hereinafter referred to as VAWC) is widespread in Sri Lanka,
which is linked inextricably to conventional patriarchal society. These crimes are reported in a range of rape,
assault, sexual or verbal harassment, or by acts of stalking, unwanted sexual advances, child abuse, forced
pornography and annoyance. Violence takes place from the domestic level to public places, public transport,
public roads, workplace, social media, short messages, phone calls etcetera. The impact of VAWC includes
physical and mental trauma that takes time to recover. The visible consequences are the breakdown ofmarriages, family and education.
The paper will analyse the prevalent situation of VAWC in Sri Lanka with examples, the judicial response
to VAWC, and the adequacy of preventive measures with special reference to treatment programmes. The
recommendations, suitable to the socio-economic fabric of Sri Lanka, are made for effective prevention of
reoffending of crimes relating to VAWC. The case study is based on the writer’s experience. Literature,interviews and statistics are the methodologies used in this paper.

II. THE BACKDROP AND CURRENT SITUATION OF VAWC IN SRI LANKA
The reported incidents of VAWC are much less than the unreported rate which is again a characteristicof patriarchy where the victims tolerate violence mostly from family members or associated persons. Socioeconomic conditions, conventional stereotypes towards women, drugs and alcohol are basic causes of violenceagainst women and children in Sri Lanka. In addition to these causes, post-armed conflict conditions createdanother ground in war affected areas in the country. Women in welfare centres that were established after
the civil war are reported to have suffered, according to the Asian Development Bank Gender Based
Assessment in 2008. Very recently, a Rohingya refugee in a welfare centre alleged that she was raped by apolice officer.1 Although males dominate the domestic economy and property ownership in the Sri Lankansociety, it does not significantly affect violence against women.2 The current situation being as it was
mentioned above, however, historically the dignity of women had a high esteem in the old Sri Lankan society
though it was male dominated. There are Goddesses who are worshiped by all ethnic groups in the country.
Against this backdrop, the circumstances under which VAWC takes place in Sri Lankan society shall be
discussed next with examples in the light of causes mentioned above.
Children who are unattended while their parents are engaged in their employment in the daytime arecommonly subject to sexual abuse by their close family members. These incidents are reported both in ruraland urban areas on the island. Recently, the Borella police, which is in the city limits of Colombo, reported
to my court an incident in which a girl had been raped for a long period of time by her father while themother travelled to the Middle East for employment as a housemaid.3 The girl who was 14 years of age did
not reveal her plight until she got pregnant. Sexual abuse by persons who have authority over the children＊

LL. B, LL.M (University of Colombo, Sri Lanka) Accredited Mediator (Singapore & Fiji Mediation Centres) Magistrate, Sri
Lanka from 2006 Up to Date, Resident Magistrate, Fiji Islands (2016-2018).
1
Sunday Times Sri Lanka October 08, 2017.
2
A 2005 study on Property Ownership and Inheritance Rights of Women for Social Protection concludes that property
ownership by women did not obviously affect violence. Gunaratne, C. (2005). Property Ownership and Inheritance Rights of
Women for Social Protection: The Sri Lanka Experience. Centre for Womens Research (CENWOR) and International Center
for Research on Women (ICRW). Colombo.
3
Case no 1168/2/18 in the Magistrate Court of Colombo

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are not reported frequently since the parents hesitate to go against the culprits due to their influential social
background. Likewise, a teacher was convicted by me in the magistrate court of Colombo very recently forsexual harassment during the school hours of a girl who was a student of his school.4 Concerning thepsychological impact on children of sexual abuse, an incident deserves to be noted here about a girl who wassexually abused for a longer period in Balangoda, a remote area from Colombo, who became very fond of
sexual contacts with men after this incident, and the controller of the children’s home complained to me as
the magistrate of the area that she is very difficult to be saved.
In the meantime, civil society demands severe punishment against offenders based on an “eye-for-an-eye“
policy. Very recently in Jaffna, a suspect of an alleged rape was tied to a tree and was assaulted by the public.
His photographs were published on social media. Three of the suspects’ houses in Punguduthivu had been
attacked and burnt down by angry villagers.5 The mother of the victim of the high-profile case of the Vidyarape and murder told the media that she was very complacent about the court verdict to hang sevenaccused.6 Similarly, the victims and the police seek pre-trial detention and severe imprisonment for theoffenders.7 The reason behind this is a belief that a severe punishment is a deterrent to other members of
the society. However, there is no evidence to suggest that a severe penalty actually acts as an effective
deterrent to rape.8 Consequently, the Legislature has also introduced new offences and severe punishments
for sexual offences by an amendment to the Penal Code in 1995. Despite this intervention of the legislature,
the crime rate has increased significantly during the past few years. 1,854 persons were convicted andimprisoned in 2010 for rape, and it has gradually increased to 2,036 in 2016.9 The number of recidivists in2007 according to the statistics of the prison department of Sri Lanka is 6,760, and it has gradually increased
to 9,912 in 2009. Again 6,271 recidivists were reported in 2016.10 Accordingly, these statistic reflect afluctuation instead of a development. It is depicted in the following graph.

Number of Recidivists by Year
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

The percentage of recidivists from the total number of offenders in 2007 is 21.6, while it is 26 percent in2016.11 A person was convicted by me very recently for sexual harassment of a young lady who is thedaughter of the previous marriage of his wife. It was revealed when the case was called for sentence that
he had pleaded guilty for the same offence against the same victim two years ago. In this scenario, this paper
will discuss whether the punitive options such as imprisonment shall offer the best way to tackle VAWC orwhether offender treatment programmes and other preventive measures will drive the society to combat
4

Case no 678/2/16, Magistrate Court of Colombo.
BBC/Asia 20.5.2015.
6
Daily News 28.9.2017.
7This is the experience of the writer as a magistrate.
8
Donohue, J. and Wolfers, J. (2004). Uses and abuses of empirical evidence in the death penalty debate. The Stanford Law
Review, 58(3), 791-845.
9
Prison Statistics of Sri Lanka. Vol 38 2018.
10
Ibid.
11
Ibid.
5

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this crime more effectively.

III. CATEGORIES OF OFFENDERS REPORTED TO COURT
Offenders of VAWC can be categorized in view of the types of offences reported to courts by police asfollows:a) Offenders of sexual offences such as rape, grave sexual abuse and sexual harassmentb) Respondents of domestic violence litigation under the Domestic Violence Actc) Accused of simple or grievous hurt against spoused) Offenders of domestic violence or sexual harassment reported to NGOs for relief, by-passing thepolice.12
It should be noted that the domestic violence is not a specific offence and it is still governed by the generallaw of causing harm.

IV. EXISTING MECHANISM TO PREVENT REOFFENDING IN SRI LANKA
Recidivism is a treatment-naïve problem which gives an indication that the legal framework andmechanism combating violence against women and children have to be reviewed. The alternative measurescurrently available for courts to prevent recidivism and the challenges will be discussed under this subtopic.
The case study mentioned below in a domestic violence case will reflect the successfulness of a methodical
and well-cared psychological treatment in an uncommon situation. Firstly, what’s going on currently in theprison system needs to be examined.
Except the Domestic Violence Act (hereinafter referred to as the DVA) the other legislation that governs
the crimes against women and children, the Penal Code, is purely punitive. The term of imprisonment of an
offender ends with simple or hard work. Psychological interventions during the period of imprisonment
before his release to the society have no place in prisons in Sri Lanka except where the prisoner shows
symptoms of unsoundness of mind. The psychiatric hospital is located few miles away from the prison, andthere is no permanent psychiatrist attached to the prison hospital. The prisoners who appear to be mentally
unsound are taken to the psychiatric hospital with court orders. A consultant psychiatrist visits the prison
hospital once a week. Treatments are not conducted according to the crime they have committed except
for drug addicts. There is no regulation that compels the prison authorities to have psychiatric assistance,
particularly in the rehabilitation process. Few prison officers have been trained in counselling. They do notwear the officers’ attire in order to avoid the fearful attitudes towards the officers. These officers haveregular meetings with those prisoners who have been found to be suffering from depression by the counsellors.
The medical officers before whom the prisoners are produced having symptoms of mental illness are treatedby the consultant psychiatrist. Accordingly, there is no treatment programme currently undergoing within
the prison system in Sri Lanka targeting the prisoner’s crime with the aim of minimizing the risk ofreoffending when he is released to the society. It should be noted that the condition in prisons in Sri Lanka
is chaotic and they are overcrowded. Sri Lanka has the second most overcrowded prison system in theregion after Bangladesh.13 Therefore, the offender who suffered in deficient conditions in prison is released
with negative thinking in to the society without any assessment of risk of reoffending. In contrast, for asexual offender to be released from detention in England and Wales, he must show that his risk of reoffending
is at an acceptable level. One of the main ways this is achieved is through the completion of an accredited
sex-offender treatment programme.14
In lieu of a punitive approach for offenders, the following non-custodial measures are available for the Sri
Lankan courts as alternative sentences.
a) Suspended Sentences under Sec 303 of the Criminal Procedure Code
12

These victims do not wish to reveal their plight in public.
Cristina Albertin, a representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Aljazeera 25.5.2011.
14
Gill & Harrison - Sentencing Sex Offenders: Retributive Justice versus Sex-Offender Treatment Programmes and Restorative
Justice Approaches; 2013 International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences (IJCJS).
1376

173RD INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSEPARTICIPANTS’ PAPERSb) Rehabilitation orders under the Community Based Corrections Act. No. 46 of 1999 (This law can beused only for offenders who are convicted for sexual harassment under Sec 345 of the Penal Code as
this law has no application for offences for which the prescribed penalty exceeds two years)c) Probation orders under the Probation of Offenders Ordinance
The measures available in the legal framework in Sri Lanka in order to prevent reoffending will be dealt
with next with the problems associated with them including the DVA protection orders.
A. Protection Orders under DVA
DVA, which aims at prevention of domestic violence, provides for various non-contact orders that the
court can make as protection orders against the respondents in order to prevent further violence against thevictims. However, the supplementary orders can be made by the court with or without the non-contact
orders in order to rehabilitate the respondent. Sec 12 states that supplementary orders can be madecompelling the respondent and the aggrieved person to attend mandatory counselling sessions, psychotherapy
or other forms of rehabilitative therapy. The court also can order a social worker, family counsellor, probation
officer or family health worker to monitor the observance of the Protection Order between the aggrieved
person and the respondent and submit to the Court a report relating thereto, once in every three months.
Practically the parties to a domestic violence case are referred to the family counsellor whose responsibility
is to do counselling himself or refer them for suitable psychiatric treatments. Since detention is not permissible
under the DVA, parties are referred to the psychiatrist as patients at the hospital. Treatments and supervision
are permissible pending inquiry. At the inquiry, if the respondent shows progress in his behaviour, theparties can come to a settlement.
B. Non-Custodial Sentences
The main non-custodial form of sentence that can be used as a rehabilitative measure in the criminal
procedure in Sri Lanka is suspended sentence. In fact, a suspended sentence has both deterrent andpreventive elements. A sentence can be suspended subject to the qualifications mentioned in Sec 303 (2) of
the Criminal Procedure Code. However, an accused who is released on a suspended sentence is not subject
to supervision of any kind after his release. His release is subject only not to reoffend. There is no stateintervention for any rehabilitation process during the period of suspension. The outcome of a suspended
sentence is therefore limited since it has not been fully utilized as an effective prevention measure. Criminal
Procedure also has made a suspended sentence impossible in circumstances where there is a minimum
mandatory sentence for the offence or where the aggregate term exceeds two years. However, the supreme
court in case no. 3 of 2008 held that the minimum mandatory sentence is unlawful since the judicial discretionhas been curtailed. It was a case of statutory rape where the parties were married. Nevertheless, suspended
sentence has not been utilized as a preventive measure in respect of sexual offenders.
C. Probation Orders
Having regard to the circumstances of the case, including the nature of the offence and the age and thecondition of the offender, the court can make probation orders under the Probation of Offenders Ordinancein lieu of sentencing him to any other punishment. Accordingly, the offender is subject to the supervision of
the probation officer for the period specified in the order, which is within one to three years. During thisperiod the probation officer, for the purpose of securing the good conduct of the offender, can make directions
to the offender to undergo psychological treatment. Supervisory process of the probation officers consists ofcollection of evidence from the family members, friends, workmates, subordinates, teachers, village
government agent, and psychiatrists from interviews and direct contacts with the offender. Probation officers
are graduates in sociology and undergo constant trainings. A probation officer is attached to each magistrate’s
court having his office within the premises or nearby. These officers are capable of analysing such data inorder to report to the court. The Probation Order can be extended by modifications on an application madeby the probation commissioner or offender. It also can be cancelled after expiry of the period having
considered the progress of the behaviour of the offender. After analysis of the progress, the probation officer
opines as to the possibility of reoffending, having considered his attitudes and the circumstances under which
the offenders’ live.
D. Treatment for Juvenile Offenders
Community-based treatment and institutional treatment for juvenile offenders as opposed to adultoffenders have a long history in Sri Lanka. The treatment of juvenile offenders as distinct from adult77

RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No. 110
offenders was first considered in Sri Lanka in the 1920s.15 The juvenile justice administration was first
introduced in 1939 with the enactment of the Children and Young Persons Ordinance (CYPO) and theYouthful Offenders ‘Training School’ Ordinance (TSYO.). The CYPO Provides for supervision of juvenile
offenders. The TSYO Provides for the establishment of training schools for youthful offenders for theirdetention, training and rehabilitation. Institutional treatment of juvenile offenders is implemented mainly by
the Provincial Department of Probation and Child Care Services in Sri Lanka in terms of court orders. For
instance, a youthful offender who has sexually abused a younger school mate in the school premises of aleading Boys School in Colombo was referred to a psychiatrist with the consent of their parents and was
subject to the supervision of the probation officer before the trial when I was the Magistrate of Maligakanda.
The teachers were advised by the probation officer not to divulge the offender’s act to the other children inorder to maintain a smooth rehabilitation process.

V. CASE STUDYThis Case Study is based on an actual case that came before me under the DVA. The family counsellorof the Colombo Magistrate’s Court was interviewed and his records together with the medical reports wereperused for the case study. The names of the parties and the case number will be withheld having
considered their privacy. The offender has been treated and counselling had been done as community-based
treatment since the offender was not imprisoned for the offence.
The parties are parents of two children aged 10 and 13 years. The parties are attached to the Sri Lanka
Army. The husband (X) is a high ranking army officer while the wife (Y) is a lady soldier. They live in the
Colombo suburbs.
X appeared to be a lovely husband to his wife Y in the society and sometimes helped her in the kitchen
as well. However, most of the decisions including household necessities were determined by X. He has gifted
a small but a smart car to his wife. They attend social events together and parents’ meetings in the school.
He never takes alcohol and enjoys time with children at home.
The Kirilipana police, which is located in the Colombo suburbs, produced X before the Magistrate Courtof Colombo for assaulting Y under the Penal Code. The police revealed that constant occurrences of assaultof his wife have taken place within the domestic sphere. The allegation of the police is that he has committed
grievous harm, which is an offence under Sec 216 of the PC. The medical evidence revealed that there wasa fracture of the ulna of her right hand. It was revealed that there was another assault case between X andY for causing simple harm to Y in another court. He had beaten the sexual organs of his wife. He also has
stopped any sexual relationship with her for a long period although they continued to live under same roof
as husband and wife. They pretended that they were on good terms to the outside world. The police filed areport under the DVA subsequently.
Under the DVA, the parties were referred to the family counsellor who referred them to Dr. Neil
Fernando, a Consultant Psychiatrist, followed by his counselling. X was subject to medication including
psychotherapy for his anger and disorder. It was revealed by the family counsellor that X blamed Y for
having a sexual relationship with another man whom he does not know. He has been suspicious of his wife
throughout the marriage life. It has developed recently, and he started to assault his wife in front of theirchildren as well.
After treatment significant progress was made, and Y has informed the family counsellor that there has
been no physical attack thereafter although there had been some heated arguments with regard to family
matters. However, the family counsellor has lost track of this case after the parties settled their cases incourt. Y did not seek any order in the DVA case.

VI. PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION TO OFFENDERS OF VAWC
The three main goals of psychological intervention to offenders of VAWC are:15

R. Sunethra Gunawardhana. Operational issues in institutional treatment and community-based treatment for juvenile
offenders in Sri Lanka.

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1. Help the offender learning to reduce and manage their risk to reoffend.
2. Monitoring and managing the offenders more effectively.
3. Remain accountable to the people of the country by routinely evaluating and aligning the treatment
with evidence-based practices.
Treatment of sexual offenders has gained credence in many countries and researches have proven its
effectiveness. One such study was Lösel and Schmucker’s 2005 meta-analysis of all studies of efficacy reported
in English, French, Dutch, Swedish and German up to 2003. From the sixty-nine studies located, they
concluded that treatments did produce an effect, of treated offenders reoffending at a rate of 11.1 per centcompared with 17.5 per cent for the untreated group. Likewise, Robertson found a recidivism rate of 9.4 percent for treated offenders compared with 15.6 per cent for untreated offenders; while Reittzel and Carbonell(2006), found recidivism rates of 7.4 per cent for treated offenders and 18.9 per cent for untreated offenders.16

VII. CHALLENGES
The perception of the civil society as mentioned above is that a punitive approach serves as a better way
to combat VAWC. Negative reaction can be expected for using public money for treatment of offenders
instead of punitive measures even from the parliamentary representatives. Therefore, the stereotype
attitudes of stakeholders including the judiciary will stand as a barrier for treatment programmes. Funds foradvancement of infrastructure, recruitment of officers is a major challenge.
When the functions of the officers are concerned it was found that the probation officers and family
counsellors are inundated with their work in the magistrate court and the district court as well. The family
counsellor in Colombo is currently handling 50 files. He has participated in only two training programmes
during his 22-years of service. Therefore, lack of trained staff including psychiatrists is a major problem
required to be overcome for the implementation of treatment programmes.
The respondents who are charged for offences relating to VAWC are involved in other crimes such as
drug cases. Hence their constant stay in remand prison for such cases is a barrier for suitable treatments
for VAWC. Infrastructure of the prison and probation services is woefully inadequate to facilitate thetreatment programmes for offenders.

VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS
A. Adoption of an Individualized Offender Treatment Programme in the Prison System
In terms of comparing offender treatment programmes with punitive options, the evidence suggests that
positive reinforcement of good behaviour is a much more effective way of changing maladaptive behaviour
than either punishment or negative reinforcement.17 The current belief in the civil society in Sri Lanka thatsexual offenders cannot change and, thus, punishment with severe imprisonment or life without parole iswarranted for public protection, should be reconsidered in light of the above discussion.
In order to achieve this goal, the current practices of the prison should be changed so as to treat theprisoners in accordance with the type of crime they have committed. They can be accustomed with dignified
behavioural pattern programmes. These programmes work to change the beliefs, behaviours and attitudes
that underpin offending. The respect that one should have to the rights and liberty of others should befocussed in order to eliminate the stereotype of patriarchal thinking that women are sex objects and womenand children are weak. Emphasis should be placed on the importance of repeating positive behaviours. In
terms of the cognitive element, these programmes are able to explore offender’s distorted beliefs in order tohelp them change their attitudes towards violent-deviant behaviour, improve their attitudes towards children
and women and improve their interactions with them. If VAWC is associated with other elements such as
drugs, the programme should be planned, focusing on individual characteristics. Special attention should be
drawn to the social and economic background of the offender.
16

Citing Brown, S.J. (2010). An Introduction to Sex Offender Treatment Programmes and their Risk Reduction Efficacy
mentioned in Anisha K Gill & Karen Harrison in Sentencing Sex Offenders in India: Retributive Justice versus Sex-Offender
Treatment Programmes and Restorative Justice Approaches.
17
See 14.

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It is change of this sort that the prison system requires to eradicate violence against women and children.
In order to achieve this target a change of procedures in the prison is a sine qua non. Development of
infrastructure, change of attitudes of the prison officers towards inmates are matters to be considered by thestate authorities. Assistance of permanent psychiatrists and qualified counsellors to the prison who are notpart of the prison is required.
B. Increasing Conviction Rate
Low conviction rate is another problem to be addressed. The present conviction rate in Sri Lanka stands
at 4 to 6 percent. In order to minimize reoffending, the offenders should not be allowed to escape from theadjudication system. Improvement of investigation methodologies, technology and infrastructure should beprioritized.
C. A Sentencing Policy
Sri Lankan courts are guided by certain judicial principles in respect of sentencing. In terms of the judicial
thinking, offences relating to VAWC warrant custodial sentences in most of the cases. Non-custodial sentences
are given in very limited circumstances. Judicial attributes tend to opt a deterrent approach rather thanrehabilitation. Therefore, the judicial thinking needs to be led to a rehabilitative approach. It should beconsidered as a foremost important matter. To achieve this end, a sentencing policy focusing on rehabilitationis required to be formulated to avoid individual justice.
D. Scope of Suspended Sentence to be Expanded
The current suspended sentencing can be used as a community-based correction method by imposing
conditions for treatments and supervision during the period of suspension. With a slight amendment to Sec
303 of the Criminal Procedure Code, this measure can be fully utilized as a rehabilitative and supervision
measure to prevent reoffending.
E. Scope of Bail to Be Expanded
The primary consideration of bail is to ensure the attendance of the suspect. A secondary reason forrefusing bail is reoffending while the suspect is released. This qualification of granting bail can be used toassess the risk of reoffending by psychological assessment at the time of granting bail. Where the psychiatrist
finds there is a risk of reoffending the suspect can be referred to psychological intervention even before thetrial. However, this process should not disturb the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence until
the person is found guilty. This bail procedure should be shaped as a measure of minimizing the risk ofreoffending even before the trial, using an evidence-based system. A statutory amendment is required to bedone before implementation.
F. Delays to Be EradicatedTime consumption from investigation to trial level is far more unsatisfactory. Subsequent to investigations
the police seek advice from the Attorney General in most of the sex-related offences. The Attorney Generaltakes couple of years for his advice due to lack of sufficient staff. When it comes to sentence after trial, whichtakes another couple of years, the purpose of sentencing and its effect becomes a failure. Reoffending pending
litigation is a very common feature in the Sri Lankan criminal justice system. Disposal of cases within a time
period, including investigations, is required to be introduced by the legislature so that effective preventive
measures can obtain the best results.

IX. CONCLUSION“India looks beyond the natural human desire for retributive justice to seek comprehensive solutions,
including sex-offender treatment programmes and restorative justice approaches that provide a true and lasting
legacy of change”.18
Sri Lanka is no exception to this situation. Punitive response to VAWC without taking measures toprevent reoffending has been proved ineffective in Sri Lanka. It wastes public money, and moreover, the18Anisha K Gill & Karen Harrison in Sentencing Sex Offenders in India: Retributive Justice versus Sex-Offender Treatment
Programmes and Restorative Justice Approaches.

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increasing crime rate19 in Sri Lanka has proved that incarceration is not a solution for recidivism. On theother hand, community-based treatment programmes have gained credence among academics andpractitioners. It has been used in many occasions by Sri Lankan courts with the assistance of probation
officers and counsellors. Economically, it is inexpensive compared to the cost of maintenance of a prisoner.20
The National Action Plan of Sri Lanka developed on the vision of creating “a violence free life for womenand children” emphasizes the importance of strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
The existing legal framework is adequately supported to achieve this target with a slight amendment,
only in respect of suspended sentences. The time is ripe to reform the prison system to absorb the newtreatment methodologies to minimize the level of risk of reoffending when the offender is released to thecommunity.
“If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what heought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”21

REFERENCES
Anisha K Gill & Karen Harrison in Sentencing Sex Offenders in India: Retributive Justice versus Sex-Offender
Treatment Programmes and Restorative Justice Approaches
Brown, S.J. (2010). An Introduction to Sex Offender Treatment Programmes and their Risk Reduction
Efficacy
Daily News 28.9.2017
Donohue, J. and Wolfers, J. (2004). Uses and abuses of empirical evidence in the death penalty debate. The
Stanford Law Review, 58(3), 791-845
Gunaratne, C. (2005) - Property Ownership and Inheritance Rights of Women for Social Protection
Prison Statistics of Sri Lanka. Vol 38 2018
Sunday Times Sri Lanka October 08, 2017
Sunethra Gunawardhana. Operational issues in institutional treatment and community-based treatment forjuvenile offenders in Sri Lanka

19

See Police Statistics - www.police.lk/index.php/crime-trends
A study conducted by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) in December 2013 reviewed the costs andbenefits of sex offender treatment and found that treatment saves more money than it costs in prison-based settings. A 2009
study by WSIPP indicated that for each participant that had treatment in prison and aftercare in the community, there wasan estimated $4,064 in victim and taxpayers’ benefits, and crime was reduced by almost 10 percent.
21
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
2081