Suffolk

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements

Annual Report 2002-3
1. 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 shows 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.

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2. The National Picture
This section of the report draws attention to 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

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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 five 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) with
all of them being available once the last Area has published its annual report
in September.

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3. Suffolk Area Summary
The protection of the public from offenders who potentially pose a high risk
of sexual or violent offending is a high priority for the Probation Service,
Police and the organisations that work in partnership to deliver an effective
framework for risk assessment and management.

Arrangements in Suffolk to manage high-risk offenders have existed since

1997 when in response to the Sex Offenders Act the Police and Probation
began to make joint arrangements for the assessment and management of
registered sex offenders.

Acknowledging that ‘robust’ public protection procedures are underpinned by

collaboration and information sharing, effective partnerships have been
developed with Social Care Services, Housing, Youth Offending Service,
Prison Service, Mental Health Services and Victim Support. They contribute
to both the strategic management of the multi-agency public protection
arrangements (MAPPA) and the operation of the multi-agency public
protection panels (MAPPPs).

Having been introduced in 2000 in response to the Criminal Justice and

Court Services Act, the MAPPA arrangements are now well established in
Suffolk and have built upon historical developments around public protection
so as to fulfil the statutory duty placed upon Probation and Police and
demonstrate a consistent, defensible and accountable risk management
process.

The identification and subsequent management of offenders in the

community is a complex task and is underpinned by the use of tested risk
assessments, the skill, experience and expertise of staff and the willingness
of agencies to share information, resources and work collaboratively.

Rigorous risk assessment depends upon the collation and sharing of all
relevant information. The MAPPP allows the timely exchange of clear,
accurate and reliable information and the speedy identification of offenders
who pose the most serious risk of harm to the public.

Having identified the risks posed by an offender, shared plans are drawn up
by agencies attending the MAPPP to manage those risks. These risk
management plans are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure
implementation and are revised as necessary to reflect any change in
circumstances. Central to the delivery of risk management plans is the
effective supervision of the offender, which comprises two key elements:
imposing the right conditions and enforcing them.

Through the supervision process ‘internal’ controls can be developed to

enable the offender to develop greater insight and control in relation to their

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offending behaviour and therefore manage or reduce the risks posed. The
Probation Service has developed a number of accredited groupwork
programmes, based on research into ‘What Works’ in reducing risks of re-
offending. These interventions include:

• Sex offender groupwork programmes

• Aggression replacement training
• Relapse prevention
• General offending behaviour groups

To ensure that offenders comply with the requirements of supervision

aimed at addressing their offending behaviour and the risks they pose, it is
necessary to impose ‘external’ controls upon them, which both monitor their
behaviour and maintain engagement in the supervisory process. These
external controls include:

• Use of intelligence to monitor behaviour

• Regular visits to the offender at home
• Imposition of conditions in a post release
prison licence
• Sex offender registration/Sex offender orders
• Enforcement of any court order, prison licence
or registration requirement in the event of
non-compliance

It is important that in any case where an offender fails to comply with any
condition imposed to reduce re-offending and manage the risk they pose,
enforcement action is taken quickly. The National Probation Service has
rigorous standards that apply to the enforcement of all offenders, which can
result in the offender going to prison. Those offenders released from prison
on licence whose behaviour suggests an increased risk to the public can be
re-called to custody immediately.

The management of risk must be balanced and the imposition of restrictions

placed upon offenders must be appropriate, being mindful of human rights
legislation and civil liberties issues. This balance requires careful
management to ensure that the over-riding aim to protect the public is
achieved, whilst preserving the offender’s rights to privacy, employment and
family life. For this reason the dissemination of confidential information or
the disclosure of information to those who may be at risk is measured and
incremental to achieve the objective of public safety, whilst not misusing
confidential personal information.

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4. Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
National Probation Service – Suffolk Probation Area
Suffolk Probation Area is responsible for the preparation of pre-sentence
reports to magistrates and judges, upon which sentencing decisions are
made and the supervision of offenders subject to community penalties and
post custodial licence.

Within the context of the National Probation Service, Suffolk contributes to

the achievement of five statutory aims that support the public protection
arrangements. These aims are:

• The protection of the public

• The reduction of re-offending
• The proper punishment of offenders
• Ensuring offenders’ awareness of the effects
of crime on the victims of crime and the
public
• The rehabilitation of offenders

In sharing the statutory responsibility for MAPPA with the Police, Suffolk
Probation Area has drawn upon established public protection procedures and
partnerships with other agencies to implement the multi-agency public
protection arrangements. This has included the appointment of a Senior
Probation Officer (half-time) to develop and co-ordinate the MAPPPs, the
introduction of a new assessment framework, the Offender Assessment
System (OASys), training for all staff and the revision of public protection
policy to reflect the legislative framework of MAPPA and our role as a
responsible authority.

All offenders who are having court reports prepared or who are under the
supervision of Suffolk Probation Area will have a thorough risk assessment
completed, upon which all subsequent work with the offender is based.
These assessments are regularly reviewed and updated and form an integral
part of the public protection arrangements.

Suffolk Constabulary
Suffolk Constabulary is the other responsible authority for MAPPA having
been given the statutory duty with the Probation Service under the Criminal
Justice and Court Services Act 2000.

The Police work on the principle that the prevention and detection of crime
and the reduction of fear of crime is central to its purpose. Partnership

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working to support the aim of protecting the public has been a long-term
commitment by Suffolk Constabulary.

The partnerships developed by Suffolk Constabulary have been central to the

identification of local crime problems and responsible for the development of
action plans to tackle those problems which have been formalised through the
local crime and disorder partnerships that bring together the Police, local
authorities and a range of other people and agencies from local communities.

In order to target these resources and fight crime effectively, Suffolk

Constabulary focuses upon the most active and serious offenders in the
community. In order to do this better criminal intelligence systems have been
developed in line with the Police National Intelligence Model. In response to
Sex Offender Legislation and MAPPA responsibilities Suffolk Constabulary
have appointed six public protection officers across the county, two in each
policing area, who monitor the offenders subject to registration and other
potentially dangerous offenders, carry out risk assessments, liaise with other
agencies so that risk management plans can be successfully co-ordinated
and when appropriate apply for Sex Offender Orders or Restraining Orders.

Suffolk County Council – Social Care

Services
The duties and responsibilities of Social Care Services include services to
vulnerable groups, both adults and children. This includes children in need
and their families, older people, disabled people and those with mental health
needs. The services promote safety and welfare, which balances the needs
of the individual with the safety of the wider community. In conjunction with
Social Care Services role in working with other agencies through the Area
Child Protection Committee, there is a commitment to work together with
other agencies in the assessment and management of risk for the protection
of the public.

Suffolk Local Health Partnerships

NHS Trust − Mental Health Services and
Norfolk Mental Health Care Trust
The assessment of health professionals is required to define the kind of health
intervention an individual may need. They can also contribute to the
assessment and management of risk.

The Department of Health will be issuing guidance to ensure that all Mental
Health Trusts are appropriately represented in the arrangements.

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Roles and Responsibilities of Mental Health Representative (Suffolk)

• Prior to each monthly meeting check Mental Health Services

involvement with the individuals to be discussed.

• If an individual is involved with Mental Health Services, to discuss

the issues with the relevant professionals, reason for involvement,
treatment and relationship between mental health and offending,
this also informs them of the MAPPP process and the reason for
referral.

• Making recommendations regarding appropriate invitation to the

meeting etc.

• Attendance at monthly meetings offering advice, information and

education on areas of Mental Health specifically in relation to Care
Programme Approach services available locally, referral
procedures, the Mental Health Act and Mental Health systems.

• Sharing of relevant clinical information.

• Feeding back to health professionals relevant information from the

meeting.

• Acting as a ‘two-way’ bridge between Mental Health and the other

agencies regarding high-risk offenders.

• Ensuring Local Health Partnerships NHS Trust have a referral

process into MAPPP via risk assessment and/or the Suffolk
Mental Health High Risk Scheme.

• Educating Mental Health staff about MAPPPs and the referral

process.

• Co-ordinating reviews under the Suffolk Mental Health High Risk

Scheme which include discussions regarding referral to MAPPP.

Suffolk Borough and District Councils Housing

(Suffolk Housing Officers Group)
Offenders may be owner-occupiers, may rent privately or may be in
lodgings, but a number will often rent from a local authority or Housing
Association. Wherever they live, it is vital that the Police and the Probation
Service know exactly where they are, in order to monitor and support them.
This can be impossible if the offender is homeless. Making sure offenders
have somewhere to live is an essential element of public protection and the

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District and Borough Council authorities in Suffolk, all of which have
housing duties, have a key role to play in this respect.

The Strategic Forum, which oversees how the new structure works, has a
representative on it from the Suffolk Housing Officers Group which
represents all District and Borough Housing Authorities, as well as Housing
Associations operating in the County. In this way, any housing issues that
may arise can be considered by all key housing agencies in the County.

The local housing authorities in Suffolk have also helped by paying towards
the staffing the Strategic Forum needs to ensure that the MAPPPs are run
effectively.

It is clear that Housing will often be an essential part of the solution to the
problems of monitoring and supporting offenders.

Suffolk Youth Offending Service

The Suffolk Youth Offending Service provides a range of services for young
people aged 10-17 years old, including the provision of preventative
programmes targeting young people ‘in need’ and community based
programmes designed to prevent further offending. Suffolk Youth Offending
Service is committed to the delivery of partnership services effectively, and
by adopting a holistic approach that promotes accountability, responsibility
and social inclusion, seeks to reduce re-offending by young people. The
Suffolk Youth Offending Service is in a key position to contribute to the
assessment and management of risk posed by young people in the
community.

Prison Service (HMP Highpoint, HMP Hollesley Bay,

HMP Blundeston)
Closer links have been established with prisons in Suffolk to enhance the
identification and management of offenders who may pose a risk of serious
harm upon release. The Prison Service is introducing the Offender
Assessment System (OASys) in common with the Probation Service, which
will achieve a consistency of assessment and involvement in the multi-
agency public protection arrangements.

In addition to assessing the risk each prisoner poses, prisons run accredited
groupwork programmes designed to help reduce risks before the prisoner is
released. Prisons are involved in the planning of the controlled release of
offenders into the community, sharing information with Police, Probation and
other relevant agencies who will be involved in managing any risk posed.

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5. The Operation of MAPPA in Suffolk

For all those offenders who fall within the MAPPA (sex offenders, violent
offenders and others identified as posing a risk of serious harm), a thorough risk
assessment is undertaken by Probation and Police to establish who is
potentially at risk, the likelihood of re-offending and whether this is an imminent
risk. For those offenders who are identified as posing a high or very high risk of
serious harm, referral is made to the Multi-Agency Public Protection Panel
where information is shared amongst relevant agencies and a risk management
plan is agreed.

All adult registered sex offenders are initially assessed by Police Public
Protection Officers using an appropriate assessment tool, which indicates the
likely risk an offender poses of re-offending. Juvenile offenders are assessed
by the Youth Offending Service using the ASSET assessment tool. The
outcome of the assessment informs the level of contact or surveillance required
to manage the offender and the requirement to refer to the MAPPP for those
offenders presenting the highest risk and for whom multi-agency management
is necessary.

Offenders under the supervision of Suffolk Probation Area are all assessed
using OASys (Offender Assessment System) which indicates both the level of
risk posed and to whom those risks are greatest. Referral to the MAPPP is
made where offenders are identified as posing a high or very high risk. Risk
management and supervision plans are completed to ensure that actions
required to manage risk are reviewed and clear objectives set, which identify
the work to be undertaken by the offender to reduce the risk they pose.

For the small number of mentally disordered offenders who may pose a risk to
others and who are not under the supervision of the Police, Probation, Youth
Offending Service or Social Care Services, the Care Programme Approach
(CPA) is used to provide a risk assessment framework and facilitate referral to
the Suffolk High Risk Mental Health Scheme. The high-risk mental health
review, attended by psychiatrists, community psychiatric nurses and social
workers, consider the imminence of any potential event and refer to the MAPPP
where other agencies need to be involved.

The MAPPP meetings take place at a predetermined time every month in the
Southern, Eastern and Western policing divisions and have a representative
from Probation, Police, Social Care Services and Specialist Mental Health
Services. Representatives from other agencies who may be working with the
offender are invited as is necessary, eg Prison Service, Housing, Youth
Offending Service.

Should it prove necessary, an emergency MAPPP will be convened to share

information and implement a management plan in order to manage an offender

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who moves to Suffolk, is not subject to statutory supervision but is assessed as
posing an imminent risk to the public.

Whilst an offender is assessed as posing a high or very high risk to the public
they will be reviewed regularly by the MAPPP, who will ensure the risk
management plan remains appropriate in the circumstance and check that
decisions and actions designed to minimise risks have been implemented.

As the statistics at Section 7 indicate, the majority of offenders who either fall
under the MAPPA or who are subject to Probation supervision, are assessed as
being suitable to be dealt with using conventional standards and case
management interventions. All offenders are subject to ongoing review and
assessment, which reflects the dynamic nature of risk assessment and
management. The proportion of offenders who represent the highest risk or the
‘critical few’ is small in relation to those offenders under Probation supervision,
or registered sex offenders being monitored by the Police.

For those offenders who are identified as posing a high risk of serious harm, it
is necessary to ensure that any risk management or supervision plan contains
elements of those ‘internal’ and ‘external’ controls outlined in Section 3 of this
report. In order to effectively manage the risks posed by an offender it is usual
that interventions undertaken to develop the ‘internal’ controls such as the use
of Accredited Groupwork Programmes, Relapse Prevention and Victim
Awareness Work are complimented by ‘external controls’ which ensure offender
compliance. This can include the imposition of additional conditions to a licence
or community order, the requirement to reside at the Approved Premises
(Hostel), enforcement action or increased surveillance.

CASE STUDY

Mr X was released from custody having served a five-year sentence for a serious
sexual offence. Before release his Probation Officer completed a risk assessment
which highlighted issues relating to contact with victims and the need for a
structured living environment which provided close monitoring of his behaviour and
the ability to enforce licence conditions in order to manage potential risks. A
MAPPP meeting was held to discuss how to manage the risk Mr X posed.

Upon release, licence conditions were imposed requiring Mr X to reside at a

hostel, be subject to curfew, not to contact victims of his offending and not to enter
his hometown without the prior permission of his Probation Officer.

For several months Mr X’s behaviour gave no cause for concern to either
Probation or Police. However, he failed to return to the hostel by the required
curfew time and having received a warning previously for a minor breach of curfew
he was in breach of his licence conditions. This failure to abide by his licence
conditions and the fact that he was unable to account for his whereabouts, was
considered sufficient reason to re-call Mr X to custody as his ability to comply was
called into question and the potential risks were unacceptable at that time.

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All offenders under the supervision of the Probation Service are subject to
minimum national standards in relation to compliance and frequency of
contact. These minimum standards can be increased in the case of the
potential to cause serious harm and will be strictly enforced through warnings
and either re-call to prison or court summons where it is evident the offender is
unwilling to comply or poses an imminent risk that is assessed as requiring
such action.

In relation to registered sex offenders, the Police complete their risk

assessment and prioritise those offenders who require the most frequent
visiting and levels of surveillance. The requirement of sex offenders to register
with the Police is made clear at the point of sentence and therefore offenders
can be targeted and visited upon release from prison so that sex offender
registration can be re-enforced. Where an offender is being supervised by
Suffolk Probation Area, this visit is often undertaken jointly to ensure the
offender is fully aware of the risks they pose and how these will be managed
by the Police and Probation.

It is the job of the Police Public Protection Officers to contribute to the

prevention of further offending and detect breaches of orders or re-offending.
Intelligence gathering through Police officers, contact with victims, surveillance
and liaison with other professionals, eg the Child Protection Unit, allows the
behaviour of offenders who pose a high risk to be monitored, their behaviour
challenged and where appropriate or necessary other methods of managing
risk explored, such as application for a sex offender order or disclosure of
information to minimise risk.

The use of disclosure forms part of the wider risk management process and is
one of the strategies that can be adopted to reduce risk. Notifications to
individuals, groups or sections of the community are made where it is believed
that the risk posed cannot be managed through external controls only, or in
relation to a known victim or person at risk. The use of disclosure has to be
proportional and justifiable and consider the human rights and civil liberties of
the offender.

Community notifications are only made where there is a pressing need and
each decision on whether or not to disclose has to be justified on the basis of
the likelihood of harm which non-disclosure might otherwise cause. Whilst it is
the role of the MAPPP to consider the need for and to recommend disclosure
based on a careful and rigorous examination of the information available, the
final decision regarding whether or not disclosure will be made rests with the
Assistant Chief Constable who will consider the recommendation of the
MAPPP, relevant case law and the individual’s rights before giving approval for
disclosure.

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 CASE STUDY

Mr Y is a registered sex offender who is also subject to a restraining

order preventing him from frequenting places where children may be
present, for example, amusement arcades. He has a history of
indecent assault against children and strongly denies his offending
history, minimising his behaviour and personal responsibility. Mr Y
is not subject to supervision by the Probation Service.

Mr Y chose to move address when his whereabouts became known

to the public. At short notice he moved into alternative
accommodation and was not obliged to inform the landlord of his
accommodation of his previous offending.

Having registered his new address with the Police they referred his
case to the MAPPP as he was assessed as posing an imminent risk
to children, especially as the school holidays were approaching.

In order to enhance the risk management plan of visits and

surveillance by the Police, it was felt necessary to make limited
disclosures to the landlord and CCTV operators. This decision,
sanctioned by the Assistant Chief Constable, allowed increased
monitoring and surveillance of Mr Y and provided information to the
landlord which would assist staff in managing Mr Y, protect other
residents and be mindful of any community concerns that might
arise should his whereabouts become known.

Where a sex offender’s behaviour, registered or otherwise, gives continued

cause for concern, consideration can be given to the application for a Sex
Offender Order through the Magistrates Courts. Sex Offender Orders are civil
measures with criminal sanctions. Breaches of an order are punishable with
up to five years’ imprisonment at the Crown Court, making them arrestable
offences.

Sex Offender Orders enable magistrates to prohibit sex offenders from any
actions or behaviour to protect the public from harm. Orders last a minimum of
five years and require the offender to register with the Police under the Sex
Offenders Act.

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 CASE STUDY

Mr Z was placed on the sex offender register having been convicted of

having unlawful sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 16.
Following registration he was closely monitored by the Police who liaised
with the victim’s parents, local schools and Social Care Services. Following
continued concerns that Mr Z was inviting children to his house during
school hours, he was referred to the MAPPP where he was assessed as
posing a high risk of further sexual assault.

The MAPPP agreed that because Mr Z displayed little internal control over
his behaviour that an application should be made to the court for a Sex
Offender Order. The order was granted and Mr Z was ordered not to speak
to, or associate with, children under the age of 16.

Shortly after the Sex Offender Order was imposed, the police remained
concerned that young people were visiting Mr Z’s home. They conducted a
spot check and a child was discovered in the home. Mr Z was charged with
a breach of his Sex Offender Order, appeared in court and received a
period of imprisonment.

6. The Strategic Management of MAPPA

It is a requirement of the MAPPA that each Area develops a strategic

management structure to enable the Responsible Authorities (Police &
Probation) to discharge those duties outlined on section 67 of the Criminal
Justice and Court Services Act (2000), which requires that the Responsible
Authority in each Area must:

‘keep the arrangements (ie the MAPPA) established by it under review,

with a view to monitoring their effectiveness and making any changes to
them that appear necessary or expedient’

The Strategic Management Forum in Suffolk comprises representatives from

the following agencies, whose seniority and responsibilities enable them to
contribute to developing and maintaining strong and effective inter-agency
public protection procedures and protocols on behalf of their agency and to
address the practical implications of MAPPA.

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 • Suffolk Probation Area - Assistant Chief Officer

• Suffolk Constabulary - Detective Chief Inspector

• Suffolk Social Care Services - Head of Child Protection

• Suffolk Youth Offending Service - Locality Manager

• Suffolk Housing Officers Group - Head of Housing, Babergh

District Council

• Local Health Partnerships/NHS Trust - Director of Mental

Health Services (West)

• Prison Service - Governor grade (Highpoint Prison)

• Victim Support Suffolk - Area Manager

The Strategic Management Forum in Suffolk meets every three months and
during the developmental phase of MAPPA has sought to monitor
performance, identify and disseminate good practice, develop and review
protocols in relation to information exchange and operational issues and
prepare the annual report regarding the work of the MAPPPs.

During the first phase of MAPPA development, the emphasis was placed
upon establishing minimum criteria and requirements that would provide
effective multi-agency assessment and management of risk. The work of the
Strategic Management Forum has been informed by new MAPPA guidance
published in March 2003 and to be implemented in 2003-2004. This
guidance seeks to build upon what has already been achieved by formalising
the practical arrangements across all areas in order to introduce greater
consistency. The following features will be common to the strategic
management of MAPPA in all Areas:

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• Monitoring (on at least a quarterly basis) and evaluating the operation of
MAPPA, particularly that of the MAPPPs.
• Establishing connections which support effective operational work with
other public protection arrangements, such as Area Child Protection
Committees, local Crime and Disorder Partnerships and local Criminal
Justice Boards.
• Preparing and publishing the Annual Report and promoting the work of
MAPPA in the Area.
• Planning the longer-term development of the MAPPA in light of regular (at
least annual) reviews of the arrangements and with respect to legislative
and wider criminal justice changes.
• Identifying and planning how to meet common training and development
needs of those working in MAPPA.

Since the publication of last year’s Annual Report, a review of the MAPPA has
highlighted the need for a dedicated MAPPP manager and administrative support
in order to ensure a continuity of approach and to meet the challenge of
implementing the new guidance in relation to MAPPA. Those agencies involved
in the Strategic Management Forum have pledged joint funding to pay for these
posts in a demonstration of their commitment to the work of MAPPA and public
protection issues generally.

In 2003-2004 The Criminal Justice Bill will permit the Secretary of State to
appoint two lay advisers to the Strategic Management Forum in each Area. The
purpose of the lay advisers is twofold. Firstly, they enable the involvement of
non-professionals, which will provide greater public accountability. Secondly,
their role is to contribute views to the monitoring and evaluation of MAPPA.

7. Victim Work in Suffolk

Section 69 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services 2000 places a statutory
duty upon the Probation Service to offer the victims of violent and sexual
offences, where the offender has been imprisoned for a period of over 12
months, the opportunity to be consulted and notified about the release
arrangements for the offender. The statutory duty is supported by the
requirements of National Standards and guidance on the Victim Contact
Scheme. All ‘eligible’ victims should be contacted within two months of
sentence being passed and offered:

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 • Face-to-face contact with Suffolk Probation Area.
• The opportunity to be kept informed about developments throughout
the offender’s sentence, if they wish.
• An opportunity to contribute to the eventual release plans, to have
their views taken into account by the Parole Board or other decision
maker, and to receive information about licence conditions which are
directly relevant to them or members of their families.

Through this process Suffolk Probation Area is in a position to obtain

information from victims and develop risk management plans informed by
the views of the victim. This allows Probation Officers to carefully consider
release arrangements and ensure conditions are imposed, which can
protect victims, eg a condition of residence at an approved premises
(hostel), or a condition not to contact or approach the victim. Information
gathered from victims can also make a practical contribution to the
assessment and management of risk, as the victim may be the person who
best knows the true nature of the risk posed by the offender. This is likely to
be particularly relevant in cases in which the offender has been involved in
an abusive relationship within the family or in other forms of domestic
violence.

So that victim issues are given the consideration they deserve, the MAPPP
fulfils the following functions:

• To ensure that victim issues are taken into account when

developing risk management plans.
• To ensure that there is provision for victims to pass on
information about their concerns through the victim contact
scheme.
• To ensure that where an offender is identified as posing a high
risk of serious harm, there is a procedure for victims to be
informed that ‘their offender’ is being dealt with within the system.

The statutory work of Suffolk Probation Area with victims is not exclusive,
and victim issues and work with direct victims has been undertaken by
Victim Support, the national charity for people affected by crime, for many
years. Victim Support Suffolk has been represented on the Strategic
Management Forum from March 2003, which will further strengthen the

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victim focus of MAPPA and complement the statutory victim work of Suffolk
Probation Area.

Victim Support Suffolk is an independent organisation, offering a free and

confidential service, whether or not a crime has been reported. Trained
staff and volunteers at local branches offer information and support for
victims, witnesses, their families and friends. (See Section 8 for Local &
National contacts).

Victim Support also provides the Witness Service based in every criminal
court in England and Wales, to offer assistance before, during and after trial.

Victim Support Suffolk is committed to:

• Giving advice, support and information to those who suffer from the
effects of crime.
• Providing advice and support to witnesses in court proceedings.
• Working in partnership with others to raise public awareness and give
recognition to the effects of crime, and to promote the rights of
victims and witnesses.

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 7. Statistical Information No of Offenders

i. The number of registered sex offenders on 31 March 2003 279

ii. The number of sex offenders having a registration requirement who were 14
either 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 1

(b) The total number granted 1

(c) The total number not granted 0

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

v. The number of violent and other sexual offenders considered under 227
MAPPA 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 8
1 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 24

b) MAPPP - violent and other sex offenders 22

c) MAPPP - other offenders 8

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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 7

b) who were returned to custody for breach of a Restraining Order or Sex Offender 1
Order

c) charged with a serious sexual or violent offence 0

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8. Contacts
Suffolk Constabulary Address Phone

Detective Chief Inspector (Support) Force Headquarters (01473) 613806

Crime Management Department Martlesham Heath
Ipswich IP5 3QS

Suffolk Probation Area Address Phone

Assistant Chief Officer (Public Protection) Foundation House (01473) 408130

34 Foundation Street
Ipswich IP4 1SP

Suffolk Social Care Services Address Phone

County Manager, Immediate Needs 127 Ipswich Street (01449) 626190

Stowmarket
Suffolk, IP14 1BB

Suffolk Housing Officers Group Address Phone

SHOG Corks Lane (01473) 822801

c/o Barbergh District Council Hadleigh, Suffolk

Local Health Partnerships/NHS Trust Address Phone

Director of Mental Health (West) G Block (01284) 713000

Hospital Road
Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3NR

Suffolk Youth Offending Service Address Phone

Locality Manager West Suffolk Youth Offending (01284) 352378

Service
St Margarets, 7 The Churchyard
Bury St Edmunds

HM Prison Service Address Phone

Assistant Governor HM Highpoint South, Stradishall (01440) 823044

Area Co-ordinator Newmarket, Suffolk

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Contact details continued

Suffolk Victim Support Phone

Area Manager 29 Elm Street, Ipswich (01473) 231964

Suffolk, IP1 2AB

Further Information

Further information is available on the National Association of Victim Support website:

www.victimsupport.com

National Helpline
The national helpline for victims provides a 0845 30 30 900
service at local call rates on:

This is available: Mondays to Fridays 9.00am to 9.00pm

Weekends 9.00am to 7.00pm
Bank Holidays 9.00am to 5.00pm

For further information contact:

Police and Probation

Telephone numbers can be found in the
Contact section of this report and in local
telephone directories

Home Office
Customer Services 0870 000 1585

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Suffolk

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