Managing the risk posed by serious offenders was the topic of a MAPPA staff development day held at Dumfries House in Cumnock on Tuesday 19 March.
Representatives from South West Scotland’s MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group, including senior officers from NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Dumfries & Galloway, Police Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service and all four local authorities in Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, came together at the event to discuss current developments affecting the MAPPA arrangements.
Attendees at the event heard from retired Detective Superintendent Gail Johnston, who shared some important learning drawn from a recent Significant Case Review, as well as Emeritus Professor Hazel Kemshall - a preeminent expert on MAPPA - about what it takes to be an effective Strategic Oversight Group.
Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) aim to protect the public by providing a framework for local authorities, the police, NHS and prison service to work together to assess and manage the risks posed by sex offenders who are subject to notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, as well as mentally disordered restricted patients and other individuals who - by reason of their conviction - are assessed as posing a risk of serious harm to the public.
Partners can employ a range of safeguards such as electronic tagging, curfews, sexual offence prevention orders and other civil orders, with a shared aim of reducing the risk of harm to the wider population. Additionally, a number of agencies are required to co-operate in managing the risks posed by high-risk offenders, including Social Security Scotland, registered social landlords, voluntary organisations and companies providing electronic monitoring of offenders.
South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Health and Social Care, Councillor Lee Lyons said:
“The South West Scotland Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements are crucial to ensuring public safety, I welcome events like this which provide opportunities for learning and sharing examples of best practice among all the partner agencies who are involved in MAPPA locally.”
“We will continue to support the work of our MAPPA partners to manage the risks caused by serious offenders and ensure the safety of our communities.”