Some paedophiles should be looked after in the community rather than being sent to jail, the police child protection chief has said.
Jim Gamble of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), said some sex offenders - such as those found with child pornography - should not necessarily be imprisoned.
Mr Gamble said answers needed to be found outside the criminal justice system and that some offenders should receive a police caution, then be managed within the community.
He said there were too many people being convicted of paedophilia to be dealt with in the criminal justice system.
"We shouldn't be sending everyone that ever commits an offence - particularly of the viewing kind - to prison," he said.
"There are people who have been dealt with by police caution, who can be dealt with successfully in a way that allows them to maintain their lives and their families."
Mr Gamble was speaking as two charities claimed the fear of being labelled a child molester has stopping men working with youngsters.
NCH and Chance UK said almost one in five men would not volunteer because they would have to undertake a criminal records check.
The Volunteer Survey 2007, which interviewed 1,019 adults, found two thirds of men did not give up their time to help youngsters.
And it said 13 per cent of men would not come forward because they were worried people would think they were child abusers.
Both the NCH and Chance UK are calling for men to come forward and mentor boys aged five to 11.
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cant believe that offenders like those would not be locked up. the law in this country is
