West Midlands 09-10
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WEST MIDLANDS 09-10 P.6 Sarah’s Law P.7 Mandatory polygraph pilot P.7 Paragon and public MAPPA protection MULTI-AGENCY PUBLIC PROTECTION ARRANGEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT 2009 - 10 Working together for safer communities Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust and MAPPA On 1st April 2010 Staffordshire Probation and West Midlands Probation merged to become Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust. The new Trust is part of both the West Midlands MAPPA and the Staffordshire MAPPA. This is the annual report for West Midlands MAPPA. If you would like to see the Staffordshire MAPPA annual report, please see www.SWMprobation.gov.uk, Mike Maiden Chris Sims Gill Mortlock contact SWM Probation Communications Unit at Staffordshire and West Chief Executive Officer, Chief Constable Director of Offender Management, Midlands Probation on 0121 248 6570, or write to SWM Probation at Staffordshire and West Midlands West Midlands Police West Midlands Region. Probation Trust. 1 Victoria Square, Birmingham B1 1BD. Violent and sex offenders have to be managed robustly, both in custody and in the community, to ensure the public are protected. This report from the West Midlands MAPPA Strategic Management Board outlines We also reported last year on the proposed ‘lie detecting’ (polygraph testing) the work undertaken by a range of agencies in managing individuals who commit coming into effect for sexual offenders being released after April 1st 2009. sexual and violent crimes. The essence of successful work with this group of This is now well established and the West and East Midlands Regions are now offenders is the continuing professional commitment from a wide range of agencies running this national pilot. Further details are contained in the report. For offender that come together to share information and plan for the management of individual managers this provides an additional tool to help with the monitoring and offenders released back to the community. This partnership working is at the heart supervising of offenders subject to licence. of effective MAPPA processes and we are grateful to all our partners who continue Although serious violent and sexual offending makes up a small proportion of to work with us to achieve the best possible outcomes. all recorded crime it inevitably causes the greatest concern. While risk can never be In last year’s report we highlighted the Police-led pilot schemes enabling parents totally eliminated it can be managed with public protection a priority for every agency to request information on individuals who were having regular contact with their involved in the MAPPA arrangements. Through effective joint working between the children to ensure they had not previously been convicted of offences against agencies concerned, individual plans for the management of offenders can be drawn children. Those pilots have now been completed and evaluated and the scheme is together to reduce risk and manage individuals within their community. being rolled out across all police forces. In the West Midlands the scheme started The Board continues to benefit from the active engagement of its two at the beginning of August and further details are contained in this report. Lay Advisors who represent the public view, providing support and challenge All staff involved in the work of MAPPA have public protection as their core aim. to our work. All offenders subject to this oversight are assessed not only on the basis of the likelihood of reoffending but also the potential harm that would be caused by that offending. Sharing information across agencies is the key to effective work. For many offenders this process of assessment begins in prisons and follows them after release throughout the period that they are subject to any form of licence. Creating Staffordshire & West Midlands Probation Trust We recognise that the process of sentencing and subsequent release on licence During 2009 all Probation areas were required to apply for Trust status. can appear confusing to the general public and consequently as part of this This process required Probation Areas to demonstrate their ability to meet report we have sought to explain the various forms of licence that an offender performance targets and have robust plans in place to manage reductions may be subject to. in spending whilst maintaining effective services directly to offenders. All offenders subject to licence are effectively serving the last part of their sentence The former Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation areas subsequently in the community and therefore are liable to recall should they be in breach of the decided to present a joint bid which was successful and since the 1st April conditions of their licence. Licences are central to the work of MAPPA as they allow 2010 they have become one Probation Area. Responsibility for Probation work the reintegration of an offender back into the community to be monitored in a with MAPPA across the Trust is now held by the Head of Public Protection controlled way. Where offenders are found to be in breach of their conditions Nigel Byford. Both former areas will retain a MAPPA coordinator ensuring they can place themselves at risk of being recalled to prison. Each case is kept under the smooth running of this work across all agencies and particularly with review but where necessary the Probation Offender Manager can request immediate the West Midlands and Staffordshire Police forces. recall action. INSIDE: MAPPA WALLCHART - PAGE 4 & 5 The purposes of MAPPA are: - To ensure more comprehensive In last year’s annual report, we outlined the key aims for Public Protection through MAPPA outlined in our business plan. MAPPA are a set of arrangements to A number of other agencies are under a risk assessments are completed, REPORT ON BUSINESS PLAN The plan is a rolling three-year plan and we are pleased to report progress against the broad areas identified in last year’s report. manage the risk posed by certain duty to co-operate with the Responsible taking advantage of co-ordinated sexual and violent offenders. Authority. These include: children’s information sharing across Activity Progress services, adult social services, health What is They bring together the police, the agencies. trusts and authorities, youth offending probation and prison services in - To direct the available resources Practice development · Distribute national guidance following revision November · The national guidance remains a key document. It was due to teams, local housing authorities and certain 2008 and implement changes. be issued in November 2008 but was delayed until March 2009. Staffordshire into what is known as registered social landlords, Jobcentre Plus to best protect the public from The guidance has been made available to all staff. MAPPA? the MAPPA Responsible Authority. and electronic monitoring providers. serious harm. · Implement Youth Panel Policy. · Implement revised Duty to Co-operate procedures for · Youth Panel Policy has been partially rolled out and revision partner organisations. of process currently under way. How do the MAPPA work? Who are the MAPPA offenders? · Continued development of ViSOR -confidential database · Not progressed. Delayed to incorporate new MAPPA guidance Offenders eligible for MAPPA are identified and information is gathered/shared There are 3 categories of offender eligible for MAPPA: between Prison/Probation /Police. and specific work to improve working arrangements with mental about them across relevant agencies. The nature and level of the risk of harm they Registered sexual offenders (Category 1) - sexual offenders who are required health providers. Planned for autumn 2010. pose is assessed and a risk management plan is implemented to protect the public. to notify the police of their name, address and other personal details and notify · Ongoing development and staff training. In most cases, the offender will be managed under the ordinary arrangements any changes subsequently. applied by the agency or agencies with supervisory responsibility. A number of Violent offenders (Category 2) - offenders sentenced to imprisonment / Diversity and · Reinforce links to Local Criminal Justice Board. · Information shared with LCJB. offenders, though, require active multi-agency management and their risk detention for 12 months or more, or detained under hospital orders. This category community impact · Ensure linkages to local authority community safety strategies. · MAPPA annual report distributed to all local authorities and management plans will be formulated and monitored via MAPP meetings also includes a small number of sexual offenders who do not qualify for registration issues · SMB to provide information to assist Local Authorities prepare a number of presentations made regarding work of MAPPA. attended by various agencies. and offenders disqualified from working with children. reducing reoffending strategies. Ongoing work planned for 2010/11. Other Dangerous Offenders (Category 3) - offenders who do not qualify What is the role of the Strategic Management Board? · Information provided where possible as requested. under categories 1 or 2 but who currently pose a risk of serious harm, there is Senior representatives of each of the agencies involved in MAPPA form a link between the offending and the risk posed, and they require active a strategic management board (SMB) which meets at least quarterly to multi-agency management. With partners, · Ongoing support for Supporting People initiatives and work · Contributions