Teesside

MULTI-AGENCY PUBLIC PROTECTION

ARRANGEMENTS

Annual Report 2002

Teesside
Contacts

Teesside Probation Area Address Phone

Assistant Chief Officer Probation House 01642 230533

2 Longlands Road
Middlesbrough
TS24 2JL

Cleveland Police Address Phone

Detective Inspector PO Box 70 01642 301450

Ladgate Lane
Middlesbrough
TS8 9EH

Victim Support Services Address Phone

Co-ordinator Victim Support and Witness Services 01642 293000

Teesside
Briargate
4 Longlands Road
Middlesbrough
TS4 2JL
7 Statistical Information Number of offenders 1 Introduction
i. The number of registered sex offenders on 31 March 266
Local arrangements in Teesside began in September
1997 in response to the Sex Offenders Act 1997.
ii. Registered sex offenders (RSOs) per 100,000 population 48 Cleveland Police and National Probation Service -
Teesside began to make joint arrangements for the
iii. The number of sex offenders having a registration requirement who 2 assessment of registered sex offenders. We have built
were either cautioned or convicted for breaches of the requirement, on those arrangements over the past few years and we
between 1 April and 31 March
now have multi-agency protocols agreed by Police,
Probation, Health, Housing and Social Services for the
iv. The number of sex offender orders applied for and gained between
1 April and 31 March: assessment and management of sex offenders and
other potentially dangerous offenders. The first multi-
(a) The total number applied for 1 agency protocol was introduced in March 1999 and is
currently under review, due to be relaunched in
Summer 2002. This document will provide further
(b) The number granted 0
details of arrangements in Teesside, in light of Home
Office guidance following the Criminal Justice and
(c) The number not granted 0 Court Services Act 2000. The protocol includes contact
points for all agencies who are committed to protecting
(d) The number of applications still in progress 1 the public through multi-agency working together.

v. The number of offenders considered under the arrangements 565

prescribed by sections 67 & 68 of the Act

• Any other offender considered under the local multi-agency 8

arrangements because they were assessed as posing a high risk of
serious harm to the public (but who did not fall within either of the two
categories immediately above)

vi. Cost of Local Arrangements COST

The costs over the last 12 months are as follows: Probation Board Police

Staff costs £31,249.39 £3,000.00

Other costs £4,251.74 £7,400.00

Total expenditure £35,501.13 £10,400.00

Income £0 £0

Net Expenditure £35,501.13 £10,400.00

Set up costs included in net expenditure £1,655.59 £0

2 Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
Cleveland Police and the National
Probation Service - Teesside have
dedicated Public Protection Units,
and both organisations recognise
the need to foster close working
relationships to improve the
management of potentially
dangerous offenders who may
cause serious harm to the public.
Both Cleveland Police and the
National Probation Service -
Teesside had put in place structures
to deal with dangerous offenders on
a multi agency basis prior to the
legislation. Police and Probation
workers have a common
understanding of each others roles
3 Outline of the Arrangements Made
Cleveland Police and the National
Probation Service - Teesside have
developed multi-agency
arrangements for the assessment
and management of sexual, violent
and other dangerous offenders.
Whenever a joint or multi-agency
approach would improve public
protection, police, probation and any
other relevant agency will share
information and make joint plans if
necessary.
Both the Police and Probation
Service have delivered the
increased responsibilities under the
legislation. NPS - Teesside
appointed a middle manager
specifically to manage Public
Protection work, and liaise with the
Police Public Protection Unit which
was established prior to April 2001.
An area wide protocol provides
arrangements for convening Public
Protection meetings at two levels:
which leads to a complementary
approach to dealing effectively with
some difficult offenders living in the
community.
Risk assessment commences at the
earliest opportunity when an
offender comes to the attention of
the Police. The Probation Service
seeks to monitor and manage
offenders behaviour from the first
point of contact, which is usually at
Pre Sentence Report stage.
Cleveland Police and the National
Probation Service - Teesside work
with other agencies to conduct risk
assessments. This approach of
• Multi-Agency Risk Management
Meetings (MARMM) to manage
the risk posed by those people
whose level of risk is below that as
defined in the Criminal Justice and
Court Services Act 2000, but
whose management would benefit
by being carried out on a Multi-
Agency footing rather than a single
agency approach. These
meetings are chaired either by a
Probation Manager or
Detective Sergeant from either
service’s Public Protection Unit
depending on which service has
primacy over the potentially
dangerous offender.
• Multi Agency Public Protection
Panels (MAPPP), for the critical
few who are considered to pose a
risk of serious harm to the public.
These meetings are chaired either
by an Assistant Chief Officer of
Probation or Police Inspector of
either service’s Public Protection
Unit depending on which service
has primacy over the potentially
dangerous offender.
ensuring other agency involvement
with for example Social Services,
NSPCC, Health, Education, Local
Authority Housing, Prisons and
Department of Work and Pensions
has enabled information gathering
and sharing to contribute to good
risk assessment and hence risk
management. The willingness of all
agencies to share information
previously held as confidential within
an organisation has proved vital in
determining action plans to manage
any risk to the public. Clearly
information is shared appropriately
ensuring the Human Rights of
individuals.
The purpose of Multi-Agency Risk
Management Meetings and Multi-
Agency Public Protection Panels is
to:
• Bring together and analyse, in a
multi-agency setting, the
information that has led to concern
about any individual.
• Make informed judgements about
the likely risk that an individual
poses to the public and in
particular to whom.
• Decide what future risk
management strategy is needed to
reduce the risk.
• Review any disclosure issues.
• Agree a media strategy where
appropriate.
• Review progress of any risk
management strategy.
4 A registered sex offender was
admitted to hospital due to illness.
His offending history raised
concerns about any access to a
child within the hospital
environment. The hospital
management team were informed
of the risks and implemented a
risk management strategy to
prevent any possible harm.
6 Victims Work
National Probation Service - free and confidential service,
Teesside has a responsibility within whether or not a crime has been
Section 69 of the Criminal Justice reported. Trained staff and
and Court Services Act 2000 to offer volunteers at local branches offer
victims the opportunity to receive information and support to victims,
information regarding different witnesses, their families and friends.
stages in an offenders custodial
sentence. Victims’ views are also Victim Support provides the Witness
Service, based in every criminal
sought in respect of any continued
court in England and Wales, to offer
risk to them on the release of an
assistance before, during and after a
offender. This information assists in
trial. You can also call the Victim
ensuring appropriate risk
Supportline - 0845 30 30 900 - for
management plans to supervise
information and support and details
offenders in the community.
of local services and other relevant
Two Victim Liaison Officers, one organisations.
appointed specifically to deal with
additional work following the new The local contact number for Victim
legislation, are based in the Public Support Services can be found at
Proctection Unit. They liase closely the back of this document.
with case supervisors to share
relevant information about victim
issues. They attend Multi Agency
Risk Management Meetings and
Multi Agency Public Protection
Panels representing the victims’
views in relevant cases. They also
have close contact with Victim
Support Services across the area to
assist victims who require further
help in order to cope with the after
effects of offences perpetrated
against them.
Victim Support is the national charity
for people affected by crime. It is an
independent organisation, offering a
4 Strategic Management Arrangements
The Teesside Public Protection
Steering Group has been
established since 1999 with terms of
reference to oversee and direct the
work of the Public Protection system
across Teesside. Currently it meets
on a monthly basis, this reflects the
developing nature of Public
Protection work following recent
guidance and the commitment by all
the agencies across Teesside.
Senior Managers from statutory
bodies and voluntary agencies
inform practice and agree protocols
to be used in the public protection
system. The members of the group
are able to make decisions on
behalf of their organisations directly
or following consultation with the
heads of their agency.
5 Disclosure
Disclosure is recognised as a tool to
protect the public and is used with
care to ensure alarm and distress
does not ensue. There are
procedural guidelines for
disclosures, which involve:
• Authority by Police Senior
Management.
• The mandate of a multi-agency
public protection meeting.
• On occasions where there are
immediate disclosure issues
discussion will occur between the
lead agencies and any referring
agency.
Disclosure may be a two stage
process. Working practice in
Teesside is to immediately challenge
any concerning behaviour with an
offender prior to formal disclosure.
This allows the individual to be
challenged at an early stage and
has been carried out with good
effect where registered sex
offenders have sought inappropriate
employment.
The Chief Officer - National
Probation Service - Teesside has
met with the Assistant Chief
Constable from Cleveland Police to
discuss and review progress under
the new statutory duty for joint
arrangements for the assessment
and management of sexual, violent
and other offenders who may cause
serious harm. An area for
development currently under
discussion includes a joint Cleveland
Police and National Probation
Service - Teesside Public Protection
Unit.
The Steering Group has sponsored
multi-agency training events with
guest speakers from across the
country. It continues to provide
Disclosure to the public has taken
place on four occasions by means of
a target disclosure to sections of the
public who were thought to be at
particular risk. This was identified
as a positive supporting step to the
risk management plan. No further
action has been required since the
disclosure has taken place.
The four occasions of disclosure
have been as follows:
1 An offender deemed to be
dangerous by the MAPPP
process, had a history of sexual
offending towards children and
young persons, the offender took
up residence adjacent to a school
against the advice of the Public
Protection Unit. A limited
disclosure was authorised to staff
at the school. The information
made them aware of an increased
risk and the mechanism to report
any concerns.
professional guidance in working in
public protection particularly in terms
of best practice and the implications
for agencies around information
sharing and human rights issues.
The Steering Group comprises the
following membership:
• Cleveland Police
• National Probation Service -
Teesside
• Social Services
• Local Authority Housing
• Local Authority Community Safety
Partnership Representatives
• NSPCC
• Health
• YOT Representatives
• Prison Service
2 A MAPPP meeting became aware
that an offender who was
convicted of sexual offences
towards children was employed,
working with young persons and
vulnerable adults. The
organisation concerned were
made aware and invoked new
procedures for vetting and
terminated the employment of
the offender.
3 A MAPPP meeting became aware
of the release from prison of an
offender who had a history of
offending against young
prostitutes. A Barnardo’s project
working with prostitutes was
informed of the heightened risk
caused by his release and a
description of the person was
provided for a targeted circulation
to those deemed at risk.
Any individual considered to be a
very high risk or a high risk of
serious harm to the public will be
placed on both Cleveland Police and
the National Probation Service -
Teesside Register of Dangerous
Offenders.
All those considered under the Multi-
Agency Risk Management Meeting
and Multi-Agency Public Protection
Panel arrangements are reviewed at
least every three months via a
formal multi-agency review meeting.
Cases are also reviewed by
Cleveland Police and the National
Probation Service - Teesside
through management oversight on
an ongoing basis.
Figure 1 explains the procedure for
agencies to follow should a worker
identify an individual who they
consider poses a risk of serious
harm. The involvement of line
management as early as possible in
assessment of such individuals is
important. Following joint
assessment by the worker and their
line manager a referral can be made
into the Public Protection
procedures.
The NPS - Teesside is the first point
of contact for all referrals and it is at
this point that a further assessment
takes place between Police,
Probation and the referring agency
as to how to proceed in the
management of the risks an
individual poses. In cases where
the decision is to proceed to a
MARMM or MAPPP, these will be
arranged either by Police or
Probation, with invitations extended
to agencies currently involved with
the individual, and any other
agencies identified that should
become involved. There are
standard procedures for meetings
which include set agendas, minute
taking and an agreement to share
relevant information. A risk
management plan is agreed at the
meeting and will include measures
to monitor behaviour, possibly
involving police surveillance, and
hostel accommodation. Other
actions may include for example
psychiatric assessments, sex
offender treatment, domestic
violence programmes and other
methods of intervention aimed at
helping individuals work with the
relevant agencies to reduce the risk
they pose to others.
Figure 2 describes the review
process in cases where MARMM
and MAPPP meetings have taken
place in respect of individuals who
pose a risk of serious harm. Cases
registered as potentially dangerous
and dangerous are regularly
reviewed in order to assess
progress in implementing the agreed
risk management plan and to take
account of changed circumstances.
At every review a decision will be
made as to whether continued
registration remains justified.
The multi-agency public protection
protocol is reviewed annually to
ensure its effectiveness in managing
potentially dangerous and
dangerous individuals living in the
community.
 FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2

TEESSIDE MULTI-AGENCY PUBLIC PROTECTION PROCEDURES TEESSIDE MULTI-AGENCY PUBLIC PROTECTION PROCEDURES

Individual Agencies identify an individual who poses a risk of serious harm. REVIEW MEETING PROCESS

Internal discussion with person responsible in their Agency for Public Protection matters. MARMM and MAPPP
If the agreement, following discussion with the nominated individual above, Review Meeting Process
indicates that the Agency is unable to manage the risk: (at least quarterly)

A referral should be made under Multi-Agency Public Protection Protocol. Review progress against risk management strategy and share
any current concerns. Re-assess Risk level

Contact the National Probation Service (Teesside) Public Protection Unit on 01642 247438.
Possible Outcomes

Multi-Agency Risk Details of the individual and

Assessment between the concerns that led to the Considered to be Considered High Considered to be
Probation/Police & referring referral. (If done verbally, Medium/Low Risk Risk Very High Risk
agency this must be followed up with
full written information using
standard referral within
24 hours)
• Remove from • Continue • Continue
register and registration as registration as
recommend single potentially dangerous offender.
Outcome agency action to dangerous offender. • Formulate updated
manage risk. • Formulate updated protection plan.
protection plan. • Set review date.
• Set review date.
No further Single Agency MARMM MAPPP
action management of convened convened
individual

Low Risk Medium Risk High Risk Very High Risk

No significant There are There are There is
current identifiable identifiable imminent risk of
indicators of risk. indicators of indicators of risk serious harm.
risk of harm. of serious harm. The potential
The offender has The potential event is more
the potential to event is not likely than not to
cause harm, imminent but happen
but is unlikely could happen at imminently and
to do so unless any time and the the impact could
there is a impact could be be serious.
change of serious.
circumstances.