Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
What is MAPPA?
MAPPA stands for Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements – a set of arrangements established by police, probation and the prison service (known as the Responsible Authority) to assess and manage the risk posed by sexual and violent offenders. Other agencies that co-operate in MAPPA include youth offending teams, JobCentre Plus, local education authorities, local housing authorities, registered social landlords, social services, strategic health authorities, care trusts and NHS trusts, and electronic monitoring providers.
How does it operate?
The principles that govern MAPPA are simple:
- Identify who may pose a risk of harm;
- Share relevant information about them;
- Assess the nature and extent of that risk;
- Find ways to manage that risk effectively, protecting victims and reducing further harm.
The arrangements operate across England and Wales and allow agencies to review the risk posed by offenders and the actions taken to manage them. Central to all risk management is the need to consider the protection of previous and possible future victims.
As part of any risk management strategy it may be considered necessary for information about offenders to be disclosed directly to others by the police in order to prevent harm, such as new partners, landlords or even school head teachers. Information is not disclosed to the public unless they are in a position to better monitor and manage the offender or unless they are potentially at risk.
MAPPA has three levels of offender management, with Level Three being for the 'critical few' who are considered the most serious cases:
- Level One – Offender is managed by one of police, probation or social services;
- Level Two – Police, probation, prisons, social service, mental health, housing and education (also youth offending teams if a young offender is involved);
- Level Three – Same core members but only invited if directly involved in case (also youth offending teams if a young offender is involved).
Multi-agency public protection meetings are held once a month in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield to discuss individual cases. These meetings are chaired by the South Yorkshire MAPPA manager and usually include the supervising probation officer, a police representative, a representative from the prison where the offender is currently imprisoned and any other persons relevant to that particular case such as a victim liaison officer, psychologist or someone who has previously knowledge of the offender such as social services.
The overall aim of the meeting is to put in place arrangements to manage the offender in the community, so that they pose a minimal risk to the public. These arrangements may include:
- A requirement to live at a particular address, such as a probation approved premises, and abide by a curfew;
- Prohibited contact with certain individuals, groups of people or geographical areas;
- Specific restrictions relating to the wishes or concerns of any known victims;
- Restrictions on the type of employment they may pursue;
- Restrictions on certain public areas such as schools or playgrounds;
- Requirement to take part in a particular programme designed to reduce re-offending.
All these conditions can be added as part of the offender's licence – if they break these conditions they are returned to prison. The case studies which follow help build a clearer picture of what this work entails and how it works in practice.
Who checks it is all working?
A Strategic Management Board monitors and reviews how these public protection arrangements are working in each local area. Chaired by a senior representative of the police, probation or prison service, the Board includes senior representatives of other agencies.
Each Board also has two members of the public appointed by the Secretary of State, to act as lay advisers in the review and monitoring of the arrangements and to help improve links with communities.
What sort of people pose a risk of harm to others? Sexual and violent offenders live in all communities and are of no single age, gender, ethnicity or position in society. What is common is that the offences they commit are unacceptable, often resulting in significant physical and emotional damage. Their identification and conviction is therefore a priority. Once convicted not all offenders go on to commit further offences. However some do.
We therefore need to identify those offenders posing a high and very high risk of further serious harm and to take action to prevent them ruining the lives of others.
Who needs protection?
Sexual and violent offenders often target those within our communities whom they perceive are vulnerable or weak either because of age, gender or social circumstances. The vast majority of sexual offending is committed by people who are known to the victim either as family members, friends or acquaintances.
What should I do if I have particular concerns? The number of offenders in our communities who pose a risk of serious harm to others is thankfully very small. However, the thought that a known offender may pose a risk of serious harm to you or someone you care about can be very distressing. And it may be difficult to know who to speak to. If you believe that you have specific evidence that a serious offence has been or is about to be committed it is important that you share this information with the police.
How can I find out more? Each year we publish an annual report on the workings of MAPPA in South Yorkshire. This reviews what has happened locally and the plans for the coming year. The annual report provides contact details for each agency should you wish to seek further information. Copies of the annual report and a range of useful leaflets and briefings are available here or from the publications section of our website.
You can also access helpful information through the Stop it Now! website. Stop it Now! aims to prevent child sexual abuse by challenging all adults to take responsibility to protect children.
Helpline: 0808 1000 900
www.stopitnow.org.uk