Thames Valley Area
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements
Annual Report 2002–3
By Paul Goggins, Parliamentary Under- Secretary for Community and Custodial provision in the Home Office
As the recently appointed Minister withresponsibility for the MAPPA, I am pleasedto introduce this, the second, annualMAPPA report.It is clear that in the last year (2002/3) theMulti-Agency Public ProtectionArrangements (the MAPPA) continued toplay an important role in what remains oneof this government’s highest priorities – theprotection of the public from dangerousoffenders.As someone with many years’ experienceof working in the field of child protection, Iam particularly impressed by the importantcontribution the MAPPA are making tostrengthen collaboration between agenciesat a local level where the focus is on thedangerous offender.These improvements must, however,impact on the protection of children. As thetragic death of Victoria Climbie showed, aneffective multi-agency partnership is crucialand the MAPPA are an important element.To ensure greater consistency in theMAPPA across the 42 Areas of Englandand Wales, and to prepare for theimplementation of measures contained inthe Criminal Justice Bill, we published theMAPPA Guidance in April.Building on good practice, that Guidanceclarified the structure of the operationalarrangements as well as the importance offormal review and monitoring – of whichthis annual report is a vital part. TheCriminal Justice Bill will strengthen theMAPPA in two ways.First, it will make the involvement of otheragencies part of the statutory framework.Second, it will introduce the involvement oflay people – those unconnected with day-to-day operation of the MAPPA – inreviewing and monitoring the MAPPA.Annual reports and this new layinvolvement show the Government’scommitment to explaining how the oftensensitive and complex work of publicprotection is undertaken.The Government is also strengthening theprotection of the public with othermeasures in the Criminal Justice Bill. Theyinclude new sentences for dangerousoffenders to prevent their release if theycontinue to be dangerous.Additionally, the Sexual Offences Bill willtighten up sex offender registration,introduce a new offence of ‘grooming’, andenable sex offender orders to be imposedon violent offenders who pose a risk ofcausing serious sexual harm – therebyextending sex offender registration tothem.I commend this report to you andcongratulate all the agencies andindividuals who have contributed to theachievement of the MAPPA in your localArea.
Foreword
This section of the report draws attention towider context of the operation anddevelopment of the Multi-Agency PublicProtection Arrangements (the MAPPA).The most important work undertaken withinthe MAPPA is done locally, led by the policeand probation – who act jointly as the‘Responsible Authority’ in your Area – andin each of the 42 Areas of England andWales.The experience and good practice uponwhich this work is based began in the1990s – most significantly as a result of thecloser working relationship required by theSex Offender Act (1997).The Criminal Justice and Courts ServicesAct (2000) formalised that relationship andbuilt on the existing experience by requiringthe police and probation services toestablish arrangements (the MAPPA) forassessing and managing the risks posed bysexual and violent offenders.The Act also required the ResponsibleAuthority to publish an annual report on theoperation of those arrangements. Thisreport, covering April 2002 to March 2003,is the second annual report.The importance of partnershipKey to the development of the MAPPA inthe past year has been the closerinvolvement of other agencies, such ashousing, health and social services,working alongside police and probation.The truly multi-agency nature of theMAPPA and the collaboration whichunderpins it is to be strengthened further bythe Criminal Justice Bill. The Bill will place a‘duty to co-operate’ on a wide range oforganisations including local healthauthorities and trusts; housing authoritiesand registered social landlords; socialservices departments; Jobcentres; YouthOffending Teams; and local educationauthorities.In addition, the Prison Service will join thepolice and probation services and becomepart of the MAPPA ‘Responsible Authority’.Supporting and co-ordinating thedevelopment of the MAPPA throughout the42 Areas of England and Wales, is theNational Probation Directorate’s PublicProtection Unit (PPU).This Unit acts as a central point for adviceand, increasingly, involvement in themanagement of difficult cases.These include, for example, UK citizenswho have committed serious offencesabroad and return to this country withoutanywhere to live.The Unit is also able to provide financialsupport when the risk management plansmake exceptional demands upon localresources.Involving the publicMAPPA developments in the next 18months will also include the appointment bythe Home Secretary of two ‘lay advisers’ toeach Area.The eight Areas of England and Waleswhich have been piloting thesearrangements since January (Cumbria,Greater Manchester, Durham, South Wales,Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey and WestMidlands) report that they add real value.
continued overleaf
The National Picture
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UK Home Office: ThamesValley
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