Sex offender with high risk of reoffending being released from prison

Sex offender with high risk of reoffending being released from prison

Joshua James Turner must live in a community-based residential facility upon release

A convicted sex offender with a history of violent crimes is about to be released from prison, even though the Parole Board of Canada says he has a high risk of reoffending.

Joshua James Turner, 42, has reached the statutory release phase of his latest prison sentence, meaning authorities have no choice but to let him go. However, the board is attaching conditions to his release, including that he live in a community-based residential facility.

But the prognosis for Turner is not good. Quoting from his most recent psychological risk assessment completed six years ago, the board noted, “You are of high to very high risk for general, violent and sexual reoffending and that you are likely to reoffend within days or weeks of having opportunity.”

The board also detailed Turner’s long list of diagnoses, including PTSD, antisocial personality disorder, alcohol abuse disorder and sexual sadism.

Turner was serving a 15-month prison sentence for breaching a previous long-term supervision (LTSO) order.

In January 2015, Turner received a four-year sentence for two counts of sexual assault with a weapon. That prison term was followed by a 10-year supervision order. Breaching that order returned him to prison.

In a decision rendered late last month, the board attached additional conditions to Turner’s eventual release, including requiring him to abstain from drugs and alcohol, refrain from purchasing or possessing pornography, obtain approval before possessing a phone, and report any relationships with women.

“You have an abysmal history of non-compliance, including escapes, reoffending on your past statutory release, and going UAL [unlawfully at large] and reoffending on your LTSO,” the board wrote.

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Blair Rhodes has been a journalist for more than 40 years, the last 31 with CBC. His primary focus is on stories of crime and public safety. He can be reached at blair.rhodes@cbc.ca