This report presents the findings of a joint inspection by the Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA), Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS) of the management of high risk of serious harm offenders. The inspection team comprised inspectors from each of the three inspectorates, reflecting the integrated approach expected from the agencies with responsibility for managing these offenders. We present our findings in the cross-cutting areas of risk assessment, risk management, and sharing information and working together effectively.
Number | Recommendation |
|---|---|
1 | That Scottish Ministers amend the MAPPA guidance quickly to ensure that MAPPA meetings always consider a full analysis of risk of serious harm to support defensible decision-making. |
2 | That Scottish Ministers publish national standards and guidelines for risk assessment practice. These should make clear that fully assessing risk of serious harm is necessary for both sex offenders and serious violent offenders. |
3 | That Scottish Ministers ensure that there is succinct, plain and unambiguous practical guidance for managers and practitioners on the MAPPA process. |
4 | That Scottish Ministers ensure that when prisoners who present a high risk of serious harm have home leave or an external work placement, there is an effective and multi-agency risk management plan for the period that the offender is on these activities. |
5 | That Scottish Ministers ensure that members of the judiciary considering risk assessments prepared by police and social work are familiar with the policy and procedures in place for such risk assessments and the strengths and limitations of the various risk assessment tools in use. |
6 | That Scottish Ministers co-ordinate action to ensure that prisons receive information timeously when an offender commences a sentence for a serious violent or sex offence. |
7 | That Scottish Ministers promote the effective integration of health services in MAPPA, in order that the information they hold and their expertise can contribute better to improved offender management. |
8 | That Scottish Ministers undertake a national review of joint and integrated working practices in place between police, social work services and other relevant agencies, including co-located units, in order to identify and disseminate good practice. |
9 | That Scottish Ministers and responsible MAPPA authorities reassess whether it is necessary for police to carry out a full SA07 assessment with every offender assessed as low risk of reconviction using RM2000 and managed at MAPPA level 1. |
10 | That Scottish Ministers and agencies develop and implement formal protocols for information sharing between agencies about serious violent offenders. |
11 | That Scottish Ministers, the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and responsible authorities urgently address the reasons underlying the poor use of the ViSOR database by agencies other than police. |
12 | That Chief Social Work Officers ensure that social workers preparing home background reports interview the prisoner and visit the prospective release address. Reports must always specifically address risk issues. |
13 | That Chief Social Work Officers ensure that every sex offender and serious violent offender on supervision has a full and current risk of harm assessment. This must be available to all those tasked with the responsibility for risk management. |
14 | That Chief Constables, the Scottish Prison Service, and Chief Social Work Officers ensure that sex offenders and serious violent offenders subject to supervision have an effective risk management plan tailored to their risk and needs. |
15 | That the Scottish Prison Service connect the operation of the Risk Management Groups directly to the ICM framework. This would eliminate duplication and increase the coherence of the system. |
16 | That the Scottish Prison Service develop a strategy for the more effective engagement of those prisoners who refuse to participate in a change programme, and ensure that ICM annual case conferences occur for every offender at the correct intervals. |
17 | That Chief Constables, the Scottish Prison Service, and Chief Social Work Officers arrange appropriate training for their staff involved in MAPPA to ensure that they understand and consistently meet the needs of the Parole Board. |
18 | That Chief Constables, the Scottish Prison Service, and Chief Social Work Officers formally select employees dealing with high-risk offenders, and ensure they receive an appropriate range of support, training and professional advice, including training on giving evidence in court. |
19 | That MAPPA ‘responsible authorities’ establish local strategic boards to oversee the performance management and quality of local MAPPA operations and plan for the future improvement and development of the system. |