TO the unnamed author who condemns the 'conservatively' written front page of the Citizen, August 17, regarding the naming and shaming of paedophiles.

I would like to say that all parents, and those who are not parents, are concerned about the existence of paedophiles and other sex offences.

I will now tackle the 'myth' that by naming such criminals -- as that is what paedophiles are -- will only make them go underground.

Paedophiles, unless portrayed on films or on television, have always operated underground. They do not walk around with a large capital 'P' tattooed on their foreheads any more than rapists and other criminals do.

Neither are there more paedophiles around than there used to be. The police are merely better informed and trained at detecting, capturing and convicting them. The problem society must now face is that these people do exist and they live alongside us. And, until they are convicted and until their antics are publicised, nobody thinks anything of their behaviour.

The other problem we face is what to do with such people once they are caught? For every policeman is expected to spend 24-hours keeping such people under surveillance, it means one less policeman to deal with robbers and murderers, whose behaviour is equally as abhorrent to the majority of law abiding citizens.

The legal system of this country must also shoulder their share of the blame for wasting public resources, including legal aid funds in order to protect the rights of these convicted and unconvicted paedophiles.

It is true that it would be too costly to keep these people in prison but now, as a society we are aware of such people, we can not afford to turn our backs and pretend the problem does not exist or that it will go away because it will not.

Name and address supplied.