The Prosecutor's Office backs stronger background checks for people working with children but questions whether adding sex offenders' ID photos would really improve safety.
The Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs has submitted a bill of amendments to the Child Protection Act and the Criminal Records Database Act for review, aiming to simplify background checks on people working with children and strengthen safeguards against child sexual abuse (CSA).
Under the proposed changes, employers could automatically check employees' records monthly instead of manually at least once a year as currently required. The Social Insurance Board (SKA) would also be notified if an employee is barred from working with children.
The ministry also wants background checks to display the ID photos of people barred from working with children due to sexual offenses involving physical contact with minors.
The Prosecutor's Office, however, questions whether including the photos would really help keep kids safer. The ministry argues ID photos could help catch people who use false personal identification codes to evade checks, but prosecutors consider this unlikely.
They also note that the ministry's own explanatory memo acknowledges public sex offender registries have not been shown to reduce reoffending.
Prosecutors want more treatment, support for offenders
The Prosecutor's Office supports the overall goal of the proposal but says preventing CSA requires more investment in mental health services, counseling, treatment and specialist training.
Providing offenders with the necessary treatment and therapy is key to reducing repeat offenses, the office said, however Estonia lacks sufficient treatment options and social programs for both incarcerated offenders and convicted offenders living in the community.
Prosecutors acknowledge that the proposed changes would not worsen the status quo, but question how much more protection they would offer children.
SKA's child helpline, available in Estonian, Russian, and English, is open 24/7 at 116 111.
Callers, including kids, parents, teachers or other community members, can seek advice, support or report a child in danger.
In case of emergency, call 112.
--