I live in a city of approx 10 million people. How many released sex offenders would you hazard a guess also live here?

Under the data protection act (amongst others) the professionals who know their names and addresses know them in confidentiality. They are not passed around like idle gossip. The community is NOT aware of who they are. The children that live on their streets are NOT aware of who they are.

You mentioned church/social and youth services being privy to the information. As they are historically the three most notorious breeding grounds for child sexual abuse am I meant to feel safer that they know who the sex offenders are?

If a dog bites a child there is more outcry than there is over paedophilia. The dog is invariably put down. Other dangerous breeds are banned or muzzled. We protect our children against potentially dangerous animals, but potentially dangerous humans have the right to live next door to us and remain unknown to us.

I'm sorry but there is something inherently wrong with that. Sentences should be longer and treatment should be compulsory, release should be dependant upon psychiatric reports and identities should be known. If someone feels as though their 'rights' have been infringed by having these conditions imposed on them, then there is a very easy way to avoid them. Stay away from children. If they can't manage that then prison is the best place.