Hertfordshire

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements

Annual Report 2002-3
Foreword

By Paul Goggins, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for

Community and Custodial provision in the Home Office

As the recently appointed Minister with responsibility for

the MAPPA, I am pleased to introduce this, the second,
annual MAPPA report. It is clear that in the last year
(2002/3) the multi-agency public protection
arrangements (the MAPPA) continued to play an
important role in what remains one of this government’s
highest priorities – the protection of the public from
dangerous offenders.

As someone with many years experience of working in

the field of child protection, I am particularly impressed
by the important contribution the MAPPA are making to
strengthen collaboration between agencies at a local
level where the focus is on the dangerous offender.
These improvements must, however, impact on the
protection of children. As the tragic death of Victoria
Climbie showed, an effective multi-agency partnership
is crucial and the MAPPA are an important element.

To ensure greater consistency in the MAPPA across

the 42 Areas of England and Wales, and to prepare for
the implementation of measures contained in the
Criminal Justice Bill, we published the MAPPA
Guidance in April. Building on good practice, that
Guidance clarified the structure of the operational
arrangements as well as the importance of formal
review and monitoring – of which this annual report is a
vital part. The Criminal Justice Bill will strengthen the
MAPPA in two ways. First, it will make the involvement
of other agencies part of the statutory framework.
Second, it will introduce the involvement of lay people –
those unconnected with day-to-day operation of the
MAPPA – in reviewing and monitoring the MAPPA.
Annual reports and this new lay involvement show the
Government’s commitment to explaining how the often
sensitive and complex work of public protection is
undertaken.

The Government is also strengthening the protection of

the public with other measures in the Criminal Justice
Bill. They include new sentences for dangerous
offenders to prevent their release if they continue to be
dangerous. Additionally, the Sexual Offences Bill will
tighten up sex offender registration, introduce a new
offence of ‘grooming’, and enable sex offender orders
to be imposed on violent offenders who pose a risk of
causing serious sexual harm – thereby extending sex
offender registration to them.

I commend this report to you and congratulate all the

agencies and individuals who have contributed to the
achievement of the MAPPA locally in your local Area.

Paul Goggins
The National Picture

This section of the report draws attention to the wider context of the operation and
development of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (the MAPPA).

The most important work undertaken within the MAPPA is done locally, led by the
police and probation – who act jointly as the ‘Responsible Authority’ in your Area –
and in each of the 42 Areas of England and Wales. The experience and good
practice upon which this work is based began in the 1990s – most significantly as a
result of the closer working relationship required by the Sex Offender Act (1997).
The Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act (2000) formalised that relationship
and built on the existing experience by requiring the police and probation services
to establish arrangements (the MAPPA) for assessing and managing the risks
posed by sexual and violent offenders. The Act also required the Responsible
Authority to publish an annual report on the operation of those arrangements. This
report, covering April 2002 to March 2003, is the second annual report.

The importance of partnership

Key to the development of the MAPPA in the past year has been the closer
involvement of other agencies, such as housing, health and social services,
working alongside police and probation. The truly multi-agency nature of the
MAPPA and the collaboration which underpins it is to be strengthened further by
the Criminal Justice Bill. The Bill will place a ‘duty to co-operate’ on a wide range of
organisations including local health authorities and trusts; housing authorities and
registered social landlords; social services departments; Jobcentres; Youth
Offending Teams; and local education authorities. In addition, the Prison Service
will join the police and probation services and become part of the MAPPA
‘Responsible Authority’.

Supporting and co-ordinating the development of the MAPPA throughout the 42

Areas of England and Wales, is the National Probation Directorate’s Public
Protection Unit (PPU). This Unit acts as a central point for advice and, increasingly,
involvement in the management of difficult cases. These include, for example, UK
citizens who have committed serious offences abroad and return to this country
without anywhere to live. The Unit is also able to provide financial support when the
risk management plans make exceptional demands upon local resources.
Involving the public

MAPPA developments in the next 18 months will also include the appointment by
the Home Secretary of two ‘lay advisers’ to each Area. The eight Areas of England
and Wales which have been piloting these arrangements since January (Cumbria,
Greater Manchester, Durham, South Wales, Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey and West
Midlands) report that they add real value. Lay advisers will contribute to the review
and monitoring of the MAPPA which is undertaken by each Area’s Strategic
Management Board – the work of which you can read more in this report.

The purpose of appointing ‘lay advisers’ is to ensure that communities understand

more of what is done to protect them and that those involved professionally with the
MAPPA are aware of the views of the community. The lay advisers will not
‘represent’ the community in the way, for example, that local councillors do, nor will
they be involved in operational decision-making. And, given the sensitivity of much
of what the MAPPA does, especially with the few offenders who pose a very high
risk of serious harm to the public, it is not practicable for the general public to be
involved. Lay advisers will, however, ensure an appropriate and a practical level of
community involvement.

MAPPA Offenders

This year the annual report provides a more detailed breakdown of the number of
sexual and violent offenders who are covered by the MAPPA in your Area. As last
year, the figures include the number of registered sex offenders. Because sex
offender registration is for a minimum of 5 years (and generally for much longer)
the figures are cumulative. This is why they have increased – by 16 per cent in
England and Wales. Only a very small proportion (about six per cent throughout
England and Wales) are considered to pose such a high risk or management
difficulty that they are referred to the highest level of the MAPPA – the Multi-
Agency Public Protection Panels (the MAPPP).

Figures alone do not, of course, tell the whole story. The anonymised case studies
illustrate the practical work of the MAPPA, and demonstrate the preventive action
which can be taken. Prior to the MAPPA, action of this kind was mainly taken by
one agency alone, with the effect that on occasion offenders’ behaviour which
might have triggered preventative action went unnoticed. The multi-agency
approach of the MAPPA helps ensure that if an offender does breach the condition
of the licence under which they were released from prison or a court order
prohibiting certain activities, then action to enforce the condition or order and
protect the public can be taken more swiftly.

If you are interested in reading the reports of other Areas, they will be published on
the National Probation Service’s website www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk (under
the public protection section).
1. Area Summary

A working partnership between police and probation to focus on the management of

high risk offenders began in Hertfordshire in 1996. The introduction of the Sex
Offenders Act in 1997 increased the emphasis on close liaison between the two
services, and other agencies were also involved on a case by case basis.

The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 placed a statutory duty on the
police and probation services to implement a formal structure through the creation
of Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). As a consequence, a
network of local Multi-Agency Public Protection Panels (MAPPPs) has been
established across the county, which includes representation from other agencies.
The work of these panels has been underpinned at local level by the establishment
of Area Review Panels, which represent the first stage in the inter-agency risk
management process. The review panels offer the opportunity for all agencies
involved locally to present cases that, in their judgement, may raise public
protection issues. A joint action plan is then developed for each case where a high
risk is identified. In the most serious cases a decision will be taken to refer the case
to the MAPP panel for ratification and inclusion on the Public Protection Register
which signifies that the case is in the highest risk category. In an emergency, a
meeting of either panel can be called at 24 hours notice.

MULTI AGENCY PUBLIC PROTECTION ARRANGEMENTS IN

HERTFORDSHIRE

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PANEL (COUNTY-WIDE)

MAPP PANEL MAPP PANEL MAPP PANEL

(EASTERN) (CENTRAL) (WESTERN)

Area Review Area Review Area Review Area Review

Panel Panel Panel Panel

North Herts East Herts Mid Herts South & West

Herts

The formal MAPPA structure has now been in operation for a year in Hertfordshire,
and is kept under continuous review. Currently the procedures are being reviewed
in relation to new national guidance produced by the Home Office.
2. How the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Work
The Hertfordshire public protection
arrangements divide the county into
three areas that correspond to police
local areas: Eastern, Western and
Central Hertfordshire. In each of
these areas, a MAPP panel is
chaired by a Probation Director of
Operations.
Membership of each panel consists
of representatives from:
♦ Hertfordshire Constabulary
♦ National Probation Service –
Hertfordshire
♦ Adult Care Services (Herts
County Council)
♦ Children, Schools & Families
(Herts County Council)
♦ Community Mental Health Team
♦ Local Authority Housing
♦ Youth Offending Team
♦ Prison Service
♦ Victim Contact Unit (Probation
Service)
In areas of the county where much
of the housing stock is owned or
managed by a housing association,
they will also be represented. Any
other agency that has an interest in
a specific case may also be invited
to attend.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What Do We Do?
The Multi Agency Public Protection
Panel meets bi-monthly in each
area, while the Area Review Panels
meet each month. (The Eastern
Police Area is divided between two
Area Review Panels, as it covers two
separate probation areas – North
Herts and East Herts).
Multi-agency working is a crucial
component of these meetings.
Information from a particular agency
Risk Assessment Processes
The MAPPA structure in
Hertfordshire involves screening
arrangements to ensure all offenders
are assessed to gauge the risk they
pose, and to enable the panels to
focus on those critical few offenders
who present a high risk. Screening
is based on an assessment using
the probation and prison service
Offender Assessment System
(OASys). Sex offenders are
assessed under the police Risk
Matrix 2000 system. Other
agencies have different methods of
risk assessment that are used to
categorise risk of harm, and may
alert the panel to a person posing a
high risk.
The Work of the Area Review
Panel
Cases that may potentially be high
risk are considered initially by a local
Area Review Panel, with a
membership drawn from the same
organisations as above.
There are three possible outcomes
at the Area Review Panel stage:
• Cases confirmed as posing a
high risk to the public are
may represent the final piece of the
jigsaw that then produces the
complete picture of the risks posed.
It is essential, therefore, that all
agencies contribute relevant
information, so that a comprehensive
risk management plan is formulated.
immediately referred to the
MAPP panel
• Cases designated as not posing
a high risk will be managed by
the Area Review Panel, which
will develop an individual Action
Plan for each case Each case
will be monitored and kept under
review
• The review panel may decide
that a multi-agency approach is
not required in current
circumstances, and the case
referred back to the probation
service or other agency for
further action
In a few cases, the decision may be
taken that there is very little risk
posed by an individual unless
circumstances change significantly,
eg. a trigger factor develops - such
as homelessness, unemployment or
a relationship failure that could
prompt an increase in risk levels.
These cases are brought before the
Area Review Panel in order to share
information and alert relevant staff to
the possible need for the Review
Panel to revisit the case if changes
occur.
The plan produced for the individual
offender will take account of the risks
posed to:
• The public
• Specific people/groups of people
• Staff supervising the offender
• The individual involved - in terms
of self-harm
Extra resources may be allocated
where the need is identified, to assist
in managing the risk, eg. funding for
treatment programmes, or
accommodation in a probation
hostel.
Action plans are reviewed regularly
to ensure that any new information is
included in the decision making
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Disclosure
The need to disclose information is
carefully considered in each
individual case by the MAPP panel.
Notification may be necessary to
individuals, groups, or particular
sections of the community. Each
case will be decided on its merits,
taking into account the likelihood of
the harm that might result from non-
disclosure, and in accordance with
current legislation, eg. Data
Protection Act, Human Rights Act. It
is the responsibility of the panel to
make a decision based on a rigorous
examination of all available
information. In cases involving sex
offences, the ultimate decision on
disclosure rests with the Chief
Constable.
To date disclosure has been made
on a limited basis and information
conveyed to relevant agencies in
Hertfordshire.
process. All agencies are aware that
levels of risk may change over time.
Staff from agencies involved in the
management of a specific case will
keep in close contact between
meetings. This is to ensure
continual updating of information, so
that any changes can be addressed
quickly. If necessary an emergency
panel meeting will be called.
Information was received that a
Registered Sex Offender who had a
conviction for possessing indecent
images of children was living with a
woman who was a schoolteacher. It
was suspected that he might be
attending social events at the school
with his partner. The MAPP panel
agreed disclosure via police to the
school’s headteacher to ensure that the
offender was not able to attend any
school functions.
To facilitate these arrangements, a
Police/Probation Liaison Officer
(PPLO) has been appointed. The
PPLO assists with information
exchange between agencies,
provides a point of contact, and is
responsible for reporting to senior
managers on best practice, training
needs, and areas for improvement.
Both the police and the probation
service recognise that the local
media may have a valuable role to
play in disclosure to the public in
certain circumstances. A protocol
between the local media and
Hertfordshire Constabulary has
ensured close co-operation on a
number of occasions. Responsibility
for disclosure or dissemination of
information for background purposes
rests with the police Corporate
Communications Unit, working in
conjunction with other agencies as
appropriate.
The local media also plays an
effective part in highlighting local
crime prevention initiatives, eg.
improved street lighting, installation
of CCTV, thus reducing further the
risk to the public.
5. Victim Issues
There is a well established victim
contact network in place in
Hertfordshire. The Chief Executive of
Victim Support is a member of the
Strategic Management Panel (see
below), and provides valuable
insights from the victim perspective.
. provide a new home for the victim who
Under the Criminal Justice & Court
Services Act 2000, a Victim Contact
Unit has been established in
Hertfordshire by the National
Probation Service. The unit keeps
victims of serious sexual and violent
offences (involving prison sentences
of one year or more) informed of the
management of the case, and
provides a point of contact to enable
victims to access other services that
can offer them help and support.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Overview and Strategic Management
Hertfordshire operates a Strategic
Management Panel which provides
an overview of the county-wide multi-
agency public protection
arrangements. Senior managers
from each of the agencies attend the
Strategic Management Panel, which
meets three times a year to review
progress and discuss future
developments.
Unit representatives attend each
Area Review Panel, providing
information from victims and raising
victim concerns. Many victims have
expressed gratitude to unit staff for
the information given to them about
the criminal justice process.
The victim was informed by the
probation Victim Liaison Unit when a
man sentenced to a prison term for a
serious physical and sexual assault was
to be released on licence. As a result of
the victim’s discussions with the unit, the
MAPP panel ensured that strict
conditions were imposed as part of the
licence, to prevent the offender revisiting
the area.
The Strategic Management Panel
examines what is best practice,
address training needs, and ensure
effective communication with staff in
every agency.
The Police/Probation Liaison Officer
is responsible for providing a report
to the Strategic Management Panel
at each meeting on the work that has
been undertaken by the local panels.
A family bereavement then led to the
offender being permitted to return to the
area to attend the funeral. The victim
was informed of the arrangement and
left the area while the offender was in
the vicinity. Further action is now being
taken by agencies on the MAPP panel to
wishes to move out of the area before the
licence conditions expire and the
offender returns to his family.
Other well-established systems of
support include the Woman’s Refuge
Service, which helps women and
children who have been victims of
domestic violence.
Each year the Strategic
Management Panel produces an
Action Plan for the forthcoming 12
months.
The police and probation service are
responsible for ensuring appropriate
training is made available, with each
agency then charged with making
arrangements for this training to be
delivered to relevant staff.
7. Statistical Information No. of Offenders

i. The number of registered sex offenders on 31 March 2003 225

ii. The number of sex offenders having a registration requirement who were either 10
cautioned or convicted for breaches of the requirement, between 1 April 2002
and 31 March 2003

iii. The number of Sex Offenders Orders applied for and gained between 1 April
2002 and 31 March 2003

(a) The total number of Sex Offenders Orders applied for 0

(b) The total number granted 0

(c) The total number not granted 0

iv. The number of Restraining Orders issued by the courts between 1 April 2002 0
and 31 March 2003 for offenders currently managed within MAPPA

v. The number of violent and other sexual offenders considered under MAPPA 130
during the year 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003 (as defined by section 68 [3],
[4] and [5])

vi. The number of "other offenders" dealt with under MAPPA during the year 1 178
April 2002 and 31 March 2003 as being assessed by the Responsible Authority
as posing a risk of serious harm to the public (but who did not fall within either
of the other two categories, as defined by s.67 [2b])

vii. For each of the three categories of offenders covered by the MAPPA
("registered sex offenders", "violent and other sex offenders" and "other
offenders"), identify the number of offenders that are or have been dealt with
by:

a) MAPPP - registered sex offenders 15

b) MAPPP - violent and other sex offenders 18

c) MAPPP - other offenders 22

viii. Of the cases managed by the MAPPP during the reporting year what was the
number of offenders:

a) who were returned to custody for breach of licence 5

b) who were returned to custody for breach of a Restraining Order or Sex 0

Offender Order

c) charged with a serious sexual or violent offence 4

Contacts

Hertfordshire Probation Area Address Phone

Carole McDougall Hertfordshire Probation Headquarters 01992 504444

Director of Operations (Public Protection) Graham House
carole.mcdougall@hertfordshire.probation.gsx.gov.uk Yeomans Court
Ware Road
Hertford SG13 7HJ

Hertfordshire Constabulary Address Phone

DCS Jeremy Alford Hertfordshire Police Headquarters 01707 354000

Jeremy.alford@herts.pnn.police.uk Stanborough Road
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6XF
Published by the National Probation Service -
Hertfordshire. September 2003.