Appendix 1 - Tayside MAPPA Annual Report 2022-23
Perth and Kinross Council · 24 January 2024
Back to Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee — 24 January 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 1 Annual Report 2022-2023
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 2
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 1 INTRODUCTION I am pleased to introduce the Tayside Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Strategic Oversight Group (SOG) annual report covering the year from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023. For the purposes of MAPPA Scotland has 10 regional SOG areas, whose membership includes senior representatives from the local Responsible Authorities. The SOG is required to monitor the operation of MAPPA, making changes to improve effectiveness where required. As well as providing local leadership, the SOG is responsible for performance monitoring and quality assurance of MAPPA, and for the co-ordination and submission of the annual report for their respective area. Tayside MAPPA SOG brings together the Responsible Authorities from Dundee City, Angus and Perth and Kinross Councils, NHS Tayside, Police Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service. During the reporting year the Tayside SOG has largely continued to meet on a virtual basis using video conferencing with one ‘in person’ meeting in March 2023. Virtual meetings will continue to be used in the coming year with opportunities for ‘in person’ meetings. This new way of working which we adopted due to necessity during the pandemic has proven to be efficient eradicating travel time and maximising members availability for other duties. That said there is no doubt that meeting in person helps build relationships and promotes healthy engagement so a blend of the two approaches will be used. We have been working toward delivering our objectives set out in the 2020 -2023 Strategic Plan. There is no doubt that the adaptations we made during the pandemic together with the need to change our way of working impacted on our ability to achieve all of our aims. We will be carrying forward aspects of the plan relating to staff and pubic engagement and training in our new 2023-26 plan allowing us to continue to develop the understanding of MAPPA in the general workforce and communities. This report contains a case study which I hope helps highlights how MAPPA works and its effectiveness, we are keen to continue to promote the positives of MAPPA which due to the crimes of those managed through the arrangements are naturally viewed in a negative light. Our objective to monitor and promote the use of the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) system has been largely successful with the Tayside SOG area Responsible Authorities continuing to use and audit our use of the system alongside single agency information management systems. We are working with partners across the United Kingdom to help specify the requirements and deign the ViSOR replacement MAPPS. We expect MAPPS to be ready for roll out within the next three years. As it is a UK national system and the justice systems in the four nations have distinct differences meeting the requirements of all is a challenge. From a Tayside perspective the MAPPA Coordinator sits on a Scottish user group responsible for scoping Scotland’s requirements feeding up into the wider UK governance arrangements. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all involved in the MAPPA process in Tayside for their dedication and professionalism in working together to reduce re-offending and making Tayside a safer place to live in, work in or visit. Alan Small Independent Chair of Tayside MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 2 TAYSIDE MAPPA Tayside is an area of 3000 square miles with a mixture of cities and rural settings, with a population of approximately 416,080. It has three local authorities, Dundee City Council, Perth & Kinross Council and Angus Council. It is policed by Police Scotland ‘D’ Division. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has three establishments within the area, HMP Perth, the open estate HMP Castle Huntly and the female custody suite HMP Bella Unit. Tayside is also covered by NHS Tayside, in which is the Rohallion Secure Care Clinic providing low and medium secure care to patients for the north of Scotland. These agencies known as the Responsible Authorities work closely together to protect the public in Tayside from the harm posed by certain offenders. Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) provides the framework and ensures that this process functions effectively. The offenders contained within MAPPA continue to be: Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) – are those individuals who are required to comply with the sex offender notification requirements (SONR) as set out in Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Restricted Patients - are patients subject to a compulsion order with restriction order, a hospital direction or a transfer for treatment direction; that are patients who are subject to special restrictions under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. Other Risk of Serious Harm Individuals – these are individuals who are not required to comply with the SONR or who are not Restricted Patients; but who by reason of their conviction; are considered by the Responsible Authorities to be persons who may cause serious harm to the public at large. These individuals are known as Category 3 offenders. There are three levels of management within MAPPA and an offender can move between all three levels. LEVEL 1 – routine risk management, - generally for those who present a medium or low risk of serious harm LEVEL 2 – Multi agency risk management – for those subject to statutory supervision and are deemed to present a high risk of causing serious harm. LEVEL 3 – Multi agency public protection panels – used for the critical few who require intense supervision and senior management oversight. It is important to remember that MAPPA is not in itself a separate agency but is a conduit through which agencies can fulfil their statutory duties and protect the public in a co-ordinated manner. More information can be found in the MAPPA Guidance 2022.
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 3 MAPPA CO-ORDINATION As we continue to recover from the challenges we all had to face due to COVID-19, the work of the agencies within MAPPA has remained constant. As we move forward MS Teams continues to be used for MAPPA meetings in Angus and Perth & Kinross. However, in Dundee the co-located teams now meet again face to face and those out with the building join via MS Teams creating hybrid meetings. National meetings continue to be attended by both the MAPPA Co-ordinator and the Independent SOG chair, thus ensuring that any new learning is delivered in Tayside. MAPPA does not operate in isolation, it is part of the wider Public Protection arrangements. The chair of the MAPPA SOG provides regular reports to all three Public Protection Chief Officers Groups across Tayside and strong links have been established between MAPPA and the various Committees including Child and Adult Protection and Violence Against Women Partnerships. The MAPPA Co-ordinator continues to liaise closely with staff at HMP Perth. Staff from SOPU and CJSW have also attend pre-release case conferences and provided information at Risk Management Team meetings when required, in cases where onward progression resulting in community access may be a possibility. MAPPA numbers in custody have remained between 58 and 61 during the period between April 2022 and March 2023. Between April 2023 and September there was an increase to 67 in June but this has fallen back to 57 in September. Backdated sentences still remain a challenge resulting in some people being released on the day of sentencing with a licence which has been completed very quickly to allow a release that day. The Parole board and SPS establishments are working together to ensure appropriate conditions are shared with community colleagues at the earliest opportunity.
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 4 MAPPA IN OPERATION Protection of the public is the top priority and every decision taken by agencies in the assessment and management of risk posed by individuals subject to MAPPA is taken to keep the public safe, particularly the most vulnerable. As good as the arrangements in Scotland are, they will never completely eliminate risk. The arrangements seek to significantly reduce the opportunity and/ or inclination which individuals subject to MAPPA have, to re-offend. Whilst reconviction rates are very low, the public is understandably concerned about sex offenders and the risk they may pose. Managing that risk is a complex task cutting across organisational boundaries of local authority, SPS, Police, Housing and Health. Working together allows partners to create action plans and risk management strategies so that all possible eventualities are covered. Knowing what each other is doing and planning means that as close an eye as possible can be kept on individuals subject to MAPPA. Managing the risks posed by individuals subject to MAPPA and the involvement of each agency is best illustrated in the case study below. PERSON A Person A was convicted of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment with a 14- year punishment period. If a person is sentenced to life imprisonment, the judge must set a punishment part of the sentence. This is the minimum time the person must spend in prison before they can be considered for release into the community by the Parole Board for Scotland. The Parole Board for Scotland will only recommend release when it is considered that the prisoner’s risk can be effectively managed in the community. The board’s recommendation along with licence conditions are sent to the Scottish Ministers who make the final decision. Often a recommendation of the Parole Board is for a prisoner to progress to the Open Estate, HMP Castle Huntly, to prepare for full release. Person A did progress through his prison sentence and following a Parole Tribunal was moved to the Open Estate. SCOTTISH PRISON SERVICE (SPS) When a prisoner is progressed to HMP Castle Huntly “Open Estate”. The SPS offer a less secure environment for the purposes of helping and preparing prisoners to reintegrate into the community. Person A moved to the Open Estate and after two weeks a Risk Management Team (RMT) meeting chaired by a senior SPS manager was held to see if he could be considered for community access. This meeting was also attended by
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 5 Person A’s community-based Supervising officer (CJSW), his lead investigator from Sex Offender Police Unit (SOPU), Police Scotland, Prison based Social Worker PBSW, and SPS personnel. The RMT considered all relevant information in reaching a decision regarding Person A’s progression to Community Access and the range of support that would be needed to successfully manage his transition from custody to the community. At this meeting all License Conditions for his community access were agreed. It was also agreed at this time that access to the community would be a phased approach beginning with 1 overnight stay before working towards a full 7-night Home Leave access. Whilst in the Open Estate, Person A suffered some health conditions which required him to attend hospital for appointments and he was granted unescorted day release (UDR) at these times. Throughout his sentence Person A’s community-based Supervising Officer remained in close contact with SPS personnel and his Prison based Social Worker. Person A was granted home leaves beginning with 1 night, progressing to 2, then 5 nights until he was granted the full 7 nights. On each home leave he was seen by his Supervising officer and his SOPU officer. He managed well at these times and no concerns or issues were raised during his periods of home leave. In 2023 following a Parole Tribunal Person A was released on Life Licence. HOUSING Whilst in the Open Estate in 2022, the MAPPA Housing Liaison officer, arranged for an older person housing assessment to be carried out with Person A. This was completed however, he was assessed as not requiring retirement housing at this time. Whilst liaising with Community Justice Social Work and Housing prior to his Parole hearing in 2023 it was requested that a reassessment of his housing need be carried out. This was because his health had deteriorated since the initial assessment and following completion of the assessment it was agreed that Person A should be considered for retirement housing. Person A was released in 2023 and provided with temporary accommodation as suitable retirement housing could not identified prior to this date and he currently remains on the list for retirement housing. COMMUNITY JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK Due to the length of time he had served in prison, Person A requires intensive support to help him reintegrate into the community. During the first few weeks of release Person A had contact with Justice Social Work Services 3 or 4 times
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 6 per week. As well as an allocated Supervising Officer, he also has the support of a Criminal Justice Assistant. In addition, he has support from the Police via a Sex Offender Policing Unit officer, who works closely with Justice Social Work to consider decisions about managing risk. The initial stages after release involved making sure Person A was fully aware of his Licence conditions and what restrictions apply to him. This is important because the Licence conditions help to manage the risk he presents and keep himself safe. There are also a lot of initial practical things to do such as applying for benefits, setting up a bank account and registering with a GP. The longer- term issues will involve supporting him to apply for permanent accommodation and liaising with all relevant agencies. This will be to assess any address offered which will be subject to a full Environmental Risk Assessment involving all agencies. The main issues for Person A following release were about managing his finances and structuring his time. Person A had lost contact with many family members over the years and only has a few acquaintances in the community who could offer him limited support. When trying to get him involved with agencies or support groups consideration needs to be taken about whether or not disclosure of his status is necessary. These decisions are taken by the allocated workers and police, and discussed at regular MAPPA meetings. Person A will continue to be seen on a weekly basis by his Supervising officer. POLICE Whilst in Open Estate and accessing Unescorted Home Leave, Person A was visited on various occasions by the Sex Offender Policing Unit (SOPU). These were routine visits completed to ensure he was compliant with his Licence conditions and in an effort to fill in the information gaps surrounding areas of his life such as health, hobbies and places he frequented. When initially released from custody into the community, Person A was visited by SOPU more frequently however, this was subsequently reduced in accordance with his agreed risk level. Person A’s visits can be time consuming due to his ongoing health problems, and concerns surrounding appropriate use of electronic devices. He has struggled to fully comprehend his Licence conditions, despite these being reiterated to him regularly and it is understandable given the length of time he spent in custody. There are regular discussions between SOPU and Criminal Justice Social Work surrounding Person A and his joint management. There have also been meetings together with external agencies, which are purely held to assess risk and suitability for Person A to attend activities.
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 7 HEALTH Whilst in the Open Estate, Person A health needs were met full by the prison Health team. The information and systems used are transferrable to the community thus allowing for a degree of continuity around health appointments, updates and health management. When Person A transferred to the community the MAPPA Health Liaison Officer (MHLO) liaised directly with partner agencies, out with the MAPPA meetings for updates to identify any potential concerns which may arise. Information pertaining to risk and how this impact on Person A’s risk management are discussed to allow agencies to assist in the management of Health and to have a broad knowledge of the complexities of Person A’s health needs. Health are present at all MAPPA meetings either via the MHLO or by other trained staff from the Adult Support and Protection team. However, if any NHS Staff have regular contact with Person A they would be invited to attend the meeting and update the process and also have the expectation that this would allow for a fully integrated approach to Person A’s healthcare needs. MAPPA MEETINGS MAPPA ensures interventions are informed by thorough risk assessments and regular information sharing. It creates individualised risk management plans, which outline what is expected of the offender, how agencies will supervise and monitor them and what will happen should they fail to comply. Whilst it is not possible to predict future behaviour or eliminate all risk, bringing information together from a range of agencies enables a thorough understanding of individual offenders. This includes, their offending behaviour, the factors associated with it and the sharing of resources to target any relevant issues and concerns. MAPPA meetings initially were held every 12 weeks in respect of Person A and all of the above agencies as well as the MAPPA Co-ordinator, a Child Protection Social Worker and an Adult Support & Protection Social Work representative attended. At each MAPPA meeting a risk management plan is devised. Person A is managed at Level 2.
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 8 STATISTICAL INFORMATION As of 31 March, 2023, there were 401 Registered Sex Offenders managed in the community in Tayside, an increase of 45 offenders on the previous year. Of the 401 there were 149 (37%) subject to statutory supervision requirement with Community Justice Social Work and managed jointly with Police Scotland, Sex Offender Policing Unit. The other 63% are managed by Police Scotland who continue to regularly review risk with partners and respond to any identified concerns. The number of offenders managed in each local authority area is detailed below; ANGUS 112 (an increase of 17 from the previous year) DUNDEE 162 (an increase of 17 from the previous year) PERTH & KINROSS 127 (an increase of 17 from the previous year) It is thought that the increase in numbers is due to the courts returning to normal business and processing more criminal trials. In this reporting year there have been 89 new offenders convicted and made subject to MAPPA managements. ANGUS 26 DUNDEE 41 PERTH & KINROSS 22 However, just as new people are being convicted and managed under MAPPA there are offenders who have completed their term of registration or those who have died which means their record is therefore archived. ANGUS 23 DUNDEE 25 PERTH & KINROSS 33 Category 3 offenders continue to be managed under MAPPA and in this year there have been 4 individuals considered and managed by the responsible authorities. The individuals that are managed under MAPPA cut across all age brackets with the youngest being 18 years old and the eldest being 88 years old. 25% of the managed individuals are in the 31-40 age bracket with those in the 51-60 age bracket being 20%. The above data shows the number of offenders managed in the community. We also closely monitor data on reoffending and breaches. Any situation of re-offending is taken very seriously and managed robustly through the Justice system. During this reporting year 6 offenders were recalled to custody following a breach of their statutory licence conditions and 11 (2%) offenders were reported for further sexual offending.
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 9 MAPPA was introduced in Scotland in 2007 and analysis of the trend over the last 16 years has shown a growth in the number of individuals managed under MAPPA; 2007 2023 ANGUS 82 112 DUNDEE 109 162 PERTH & KINROSS 84 127 As the numbers have increased so too has the staffing in the Public Protection Teams of the Justice Social Work and the Sex Offender Policing Units ensuring robust risk management and the wider protection of our communities. WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO IN 2022/2023 At the last annual report, the following points were those that the SOG would prioritise • The Tayside MAPPA SOG Strategic Plan 2020-2023 sets out that we will monitor and review the Tayside MAPPA Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) process and ensure that risk assessments are completed within the Scottish Government’s National Accommodation for Sex Offender’s minimum standards. The Tayside MAPPA housing leads agreed a monitoring framework in April 2022 and will report to the Tayside MAPPA MOG and SOG at the end of each quarter. The 3 local authority housing liaison officers have met and have produced a template for the collation of the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) statistics. These are taken quarterly to the SOG for examination and information. • Examine National communication strategy and develop a Tayside document The MAPPA SOG formed a small working group to examine the national communication strategy and thereafter developed a Tayside document. This document was drawn up and has been signed off by the SOG. • Maintain links with the National MAPPA groups ensuring that any new practice is delivered and embedded locally. The Independent Chair of the SOG and the MAPPA Co-ordinator continue to attend national meetings allowing for all national issues and new information to be brought back to Tayside for implementation.
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 10 • Work with partners to agree a revised information sharing agreement following recent national discussions between the Responsible Authorities. This will include which systems and other means of information sharing are used and the potential to implement a new information management system MAPPS being developed by the Home Office. The partners continue to work together and representatives from each agency are now members of meetings being held for the implementation of the new Home Office information management system known as MAPPs WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2023-2024 • The Tayside MAPPA SOG will deliver a new Strategic Plan for the years 2023 -2026. Objectives will include; Establishing a robust training programme for staff involved in MAPPA. Delivery ensuring that MAPPA is better understood by our wider workforce and our communities Working with the responsible authorities to agree guidance and training in respect of the interface between the Child Protection Care and Risk Management Process (CARM) and MAPPA Carry out audit work and self-evaluation which will further enhance the considerable work we have done one our core data set for MAPPA and routine reporting and analysis Further strengthening the links with Child and Adult Protection Committees and Violence against Woman and girls Partnerships promoting a whole systems approach to protecting people. • We will continue to; Monitor the progression of the new Home Office management database MAPPs Proactively respond to any national learning from published Significant case Reviews
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 11
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Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Annual Report 2022-2023 12 Designed by Communications, Dundee City Council SM/10/23 MAPPA Co-ordinator Friarfield House Barrack Street Dundee, DD1 1PQ Tel: 01382 435518 Fax: 01382 435080