#021/2011 Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements a success but further progress can be made, say inspectors
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) to reduce the risk of harm to the public presented by offenders in the community have been successful but need to evolve, said independent inspectors, as they published the report of a joint inspection of MAPPA.
The report, Putting the pieces together, reflects the findings of HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. MAPPA enables criminal justice agencies and other organisations to share information and work together in a structured way to improve public protection.
Offenders subject to MAPPA are often reluctant to change, difficult to accommodate and sometimes dangerous. As a result, they present enormous challenges to those agencies tasked with ensuring that the risk of harm they present to the public is effectively managed. The inspection was carried out in six towns and cities.
The report found that:
- what previously would have been seen as the exception in terms of inter-agency cooperation is now the norm across England and Wales and there were numerous examples of information exchange between agencies;
- there was effective control and restriction of offenders; and
- there was a commendable commitment to work with difficult and intractable offenders.
However, inspectors would like to see:
- greater clarity in identifying the lead agency in each case;
- greater sophistication in risk management planning;
- improved recording of actions; and
- for public protection activity to move from being centred on the exchange of information about an offender to the active management of that offender through the multi-agency framework.
Chief Inspector of Probation Liz Calderbank and Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Dru Sharpling said:
“Whilst good progress has been made, there is still some way to go before we can confidently say that all reasonable action has been taken to manage the risk to the public presented by every offender subject to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements. When the arrangements worked, it was because all the agencies had put the pieces of information together, assessed the level of risk and managed the offender collaboratively. The recommendations in this report are intended to help make this outcome more likely in every case.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- A copy of the report is available at http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/hmi-probation/
- HM Inspectorate of Probation is an independent inspectorate, funded by the Ministry of Justice, and reporting directly to the Secretary of State on the effectiveness of work with individual offenders, children and young people aimed at reducing reoffending and protecting the public.
- Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing in the public interest, and rigorously examines the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces and authorities to tackle crime and terrorism, improve criminal justice and raise confidence. HMIC inspects and regulates all 43 police forces in England and Wales together with other major policing bodies such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the British Transport Police and HMRC.
- MAPPA was introduced in 2001 under the Criminal Justice and Court Service Act 2000 and subsequently strengthened by the Criminal Justice Act 2003, as the statutory arrangements for managing sexual and violent offenders. It provided a mechanism whereby the agencies involved could better discharge their responsibilities and protect the public in a coordinated way. It is not a statutory body in itself and each agency retains its full responsibilities and obligations.
- Please contact Jane Parsons in HMI Probation Press Office on 0207 035 2123 or 07880 787452 for further information, or call Liz Calderbank on 07973 384751.