Avon and Somerset

MAPPA Annual Report 2002

1. Introduction "The annual report should be a clear and
accessible document that informs and reassures the public about the work
taking place for their protection"

Local arrangements in Avon and Somerset began in

response to the Sex Offenders Act 1997 when the
Police and Probation Services developed joint
arrangements for the assessment and management
of Registered Sex Offenders. These arrangements
were built on and a protocol agreed between various
agencies that allowed any agency to call a risk
management meeting for anyone deemed to be of a
very high risk to the community. In practice, this was
generally called by the police or probation. This
existing protocol still applies but is in the process of
being updated to take account of the provisions of
the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and
good practice from other areas. This document will
provide further details of the arrangements made in
Avon and Somerset and give contact points for any
additional enquiries.
2. Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
"A summary of the roles and responsibilities of police probation and any
other agency locally involved in the arrangements. This must include the
results of efforts made to engage other agencies like Social Services,
Health and Local Authority Housing."
Following the implementation of
the Criminal Justice and Court
Services Act 2000, the police and
probation services have taken
steps to consolidate and extend
the existing arrangements
described above, and to ensure
consistency across the area.
Structures, processes and
protocols have been developed
and a way forward has been
identified through which the
commitment and contribution of
other agencies is recognised both
at an area strategic and local
operational level. Representatives
of Social Services, Housing and
Health attended a regional
conference in November 2001.
Local Authority Chief Executives,
and senior Prison and Health
representatives in the area have
been briefed about the emerging
picture.
The Police and Probation remain
the main agencies for ensuring the
requisite response to the dangers
posed by the very high risk
offender.
Avon and Somerset Probation
Area came into existence on the
1st of April 2001, at the same time
as the National Probation Service
was formed. All offenders who are
the subject of a probation service
report to the court, or who are
supervised in the community or on
release from prison, are assessed
using a common assessment
method which indicates the
likelihood of further offences being
committed and the level of harm.
The assessment also indicates
likely categories of victim and any
factors present in the offender’s life
which might indicate the
imminence of reoffending. The
work done with offenders under
supervision follows a plan which is
individually designed to reduce the
likelihood of reoffending and
protect potential victims and which
will, as appropriate, involve other
organisations. Programmes of
work with offenders are available
which have been researched,
evaluated and accredited nationally
for their effectiveness in reducing
the risk of reoffending.
Avon and Somerset Police
The Sex Offenders Act 1997
identified persons that had been
convicted of certain defined sex
offences and placed a requirement
for them to register with the Police
their personal details including their
home address. Those persons are
carefully monitored by full time
police staff to ensure that they
register. The Police work closely
with partner agencies such as the
Prison Service and Probation to
share information as appropriate to
ensure that risks these persons
may pose are addressed at the
earliest of stages. The risk that they
may pose is carefully assessed by
trained officers and this includes,
for instance, visits at their home.
These assessments are then used
to put in place a suitable
monitoring and management
scheme for that individual. The
monitoring and re-assessment of
these individuals is a continuing
process. Any new relevant
information is collected so that any
change in the risk posed by the
person is identified and acted upon
appropriately. The individuals of a
very high risk are particularly
closely monitored and good use is
made of Sex Offender Orders for
instance to control those risks.
The work has ensured an almost
total compliance by those required
to register. Any breaches are
identified early by this constant
monitoring and acted upon
positively.
Avon and Somerset Public
Protection Team was originally
formed in Bristol two years ago. It
consisted of several probation
officers and one police officer who
managed all the most serious
offenders in the Avon area. The
way in which the unit is staffed
enables higher levels of contact
and surveillance of offenders,
immediate exchange of information
between police and probation, and
ensures a focus on experienced
and suitably trained staff. Since
May 2002, the team has expanded
to cover the whole of Avon and
Somerset and additional police and
probation officers are being
recruited. The Police and Probation
Services rely on co-operative
working relationships with other
organisations.
Social Services in Avon and
Somerset are organised into five
authorities. Amongst their various
statutory duties is a responsibility
to provide services to vulnerable
groups, both children and adults.
Social Services work together with
other agencies including the police
and probation services through the
Area Child Protection Committees.
Social workers attend risk
management meetings on those
offenders in whom they have a
related interest.
NHS Mental Health Trusts are a
provider of specialist mental health
services. They aim to provide a full
range of high quality mental health
services which meet the needs of
users, carers and local
communities. This includes the
prevention of harm and self-harm.
HM Prison Service. There are five
prison institutions located in Avon
and Somerset although the prison
population comes from far and
wide. Close liaison with prisons is
necessary in order to plan the
release of offenders into the
community and ensure that their
resettlement plans take into
account the risk they pose as well
as contribute to their rehabilitation.
Probation officers contribute to
planning for release from their
knowledge of the local community,
information about the victim’s
concerns and their knowledge of
the resources available. HM
Prison, Horfield in Bristol and Avon
and Somerset Probation Service
jointly fund a post at senior
management level which is
designed to enhance developments
of this nature through a number of
projects.
Housing Organisations which
have a responsibility to provide
accommodation for offenders along
with other members of the public,
are invited to participate in risk
management meetings on serious
risk offenders so that when
accommodation is allocated, the
risks to potentially vulnerable
people can be taken into account.
All agencies who attend risk
management meetings are subject
to a confidentiality agreement. A
manager from either the Police or
Probation Services chairs the
3. Outline of the Arrangements Made
outline of the arrangements made for the protection of the public, starting
with the day to day work of the agencies involved and moving on through
to the more specific arrangements for the highest risk offenders”.
With effect from July 2002 new
arrangements have come into
place which will enable the area
wide strategy group for the
assessment and management of
serious risk offenders to ensure
that all parts of the area are
working to the highest standards.
In each of the eight police districts
across Avon and Somerset there
will be a schedule of monthly
meetings involving the police,
probation and other agencies at
which offenders thought to
represent a serious risk of harm
and who live or plan to live in that
district will be considered. Those
present at the meeting will be given
information from the assessments
meetings and minutes are kept.
Minutes can be subject to
disclosure in a court of law.
Man discovered to be spending
time with teenage boy who had
been victim of previous assaults by
others. Social Services alerted.
Psychologist confirmed probation
assessment that man was
grooming boy for further assaults.
Probation arranged for man to be
recalled to prison. Social Services
provided counselling for boy.
Man convicted of many offences of
incest released from prison.
Accommodated in probation hostel
initially . Housing authority
attended risk management
meetings and were able to find
suitable move on accommodation.
Police visit regularly. Social
Services in contact with family
“An
undertaken by probation and police
and will decide whether the
offender should be registered as
being of serious risk. In that event,
those present at the meeting will
also agree a plan for the
management of that risk. For
offenders already registered, the
meeting will monitor
implementation of the plan
previously made and review future
arrangements. In extreme
circumstances, the meeting can
refer a case to the area wide group
for consideration. These are likely
to be cases in which there is a high
level of media interest or in which
resources in excess of those
normally available through the
various agencies are required.
members who were victims of the
offences and information
exchanged with them about
developments.
Liaison with housing department:
one male sex offender released
from hostel – assured he was not
accommodated near to families
with children.
White male – assessed as very high
risk of causing serious harm to self,
specific individuals or members of
public. Risk management has
involved officers from two police
services, prison staff, social
services, psychiatric services,
hostel staff and present and
previous probation officers. Was
recalled to prison. Risk
management focus is now on plans
for eventual release.
The monthly meetings based on
the police districts are known as
Multi-agency Risk Conferences
[MARCs]. They will be chaired by a
Senior Probation Officer or
Detective Chief Inspector, both of
whom will be in attendance.
Minutes and copies of the plan for
each offender will be supplied to
the area wide group. Cases will
usually be referred by the police or
probation services, but there is
provision for other individuals to be
referred by any agency if it is
thought that they present a risk of
harm which is life threatening or
traumatic and from which recovery
can be expected to be difficult or
impossible.
4. Strategic Management Arrangements
“A description of the strategic management arrangements to demonstrate
that the work is subject to monitoring and evaluation”.
The Chief Executives Crime and
Disorder Group for Avon and
Somerset is a group of all local
authority Chief Executives who
meet twice a year, chaired by the
Chief Constable, together with
Chief Executives of Criminal
Justice and other agencies. It has
been decided by them that in an
area of the size and complexity of
Avon and Somerset, it would be
the most practicable arrangement
to nominate membership of multi-
agency public protection [MAPP]
group by choosing representatives
of the different agency disciplines
which have an interest in the
shared management of risk.
Representatives of Social Services,
Housing and Mental Health have
therefore been nominated to form
the basis of the MAPP. The MAPP
is responsible for the
5. Disclosure “A description of the way that disclosure has been
used to assist public protection, including any relevant examples”
When public safety would be
increased by disclosure, the Multi
Agency Public Protection Panel will
recommend it. The Police have the
power to disclose to third parties,
without the offenders consent, on
the authority of the Assistant Chief
Constable (or higher).
Examples of persons/ organisations
to whom disclosures have been
made in Avon and Somerset
include
• Employers and Employment
agencies
• Partners of the offenders
• Accommodation Providers
• Referee (football ) association
• Social Services
• Schools
implementation and review of the
area-wide arrangements for the
management of offenders who
pose a serious risk.
The group is chaired by an
Assistant Chief Constable and an
Assistant Chief Officer of Probation
and had its inaugural meeting in
July. It will meet quarterly. Its first
meeting endorsed its remit and
considered extension of the
membership, in addition to the
development of a programme of
work.
The provisional terms of reference,
in line with national guidance, are:
• To review and monitor the
effectiveness of the joint
arrangements
• Agree systems and processes
• Web site provider
The following case studies illustrate
circumstances in which disclosure
has been used effectively.
Man with history of indecent
assaults against children found to
be working with local charity and to
have been approved by the charity
to visit families at home. Probation
officer contacted charity who had
been unaware of man’s
background. They withdrew
approval and man stopped working
for them.
Woman convicted of serious violent
offence discovered to have applied
for job working with the elderly.
Probation officer contacted
for sharing information for good
interagency working
• Establish and agree systems to
ensure that only those few
offenders who represent a
serious risk of harm are referred
to the multi agency public
protection panel.
• Consider training needs and
resource implications.
• Consider communication issues
in relation to the local media
and local communities
• Prepare and publish an annual
report.
prospective employer and advised
that there would be issues of
disclosure if they employed her.
She withdrew job application. Later
successful application for work with
another organisation. Probation
officer and employer discussed her
background so that they were able
to employ her in a way which
meant she was of no risk to the
public.
Man with record of sexual offences
against adolescent boys developed
friendship with young man at hostel
where both living. Probation officer
checked with young man that
offender had disclosed nature of
his offences and talked through
issues of vulnerability.
6. Victims Work “An outline of the work being done to ensure
that victimes are informed of the progress of the offender as outlined in
Section 69 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act “.

In accordance with the Review, arrangements for early by crime. It is an independent

requirements of Section 69 of the
Criminal Justice and Court
Services Act the Probation Service
in Avon and Somerset undertakes
to contact victims of serious violent
or sexual crimes, following
conviction and sentence, where the
offender has received a prison
sentence of twelve months or
more. The service acts on
information supplied by the police
and the courts. This work is done
by a Victims’ Unit which consists of
3.5 operational staff, supported by
two administrative staff and some
management time and who cover
the whole of the Avon and
Somerset Area.
The service provides information to
victims about the prison process
and significant events affecting the
offender such as the Parole
release and consideration of a
move to an open prison for life
sentence prisoners.
The service also enables victims to
be able to inform the Probation
Service, Prison Service and Parole
Board about the impact of the
offence, their concerns about the
offender and to comment on
licence conditions which might be
aimed at protecting them when the
offender is released. This is
achieved by maintaining contact at
significant points in the sentence
by agreement with the victim.
Other forms of support to victims
are offered by the Victim Support
Services following report of an
offence and prior to conviction and
sentence. Victim Support is the
national charity for people affected
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 to victims, witnesses, their
families and friends.
Victim Support provides the
Witness Service, based in every
criminal court in England and
Wales, to offer assistance before,
during and after a trial. You can
also call the Victim Supportline –
0845 30 30 900 – for information
and support and details of local
services and other relevant
organisations.
Victim Support Offices in Avon and
Somerset can be found at the
addresses given on the contact
page 2.
 7. Statistical Information "The following items of
statistical information along with a brief explanation of their significance".

i. The number of Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) in the 423

community on 31/03/02 (s68 (2) CJ & CS Act 2000)

29
The number of RSOs per 100,000 population

ii. The number of SOs cautioned/convicted for breaches of 7

registration requirement 01/04/01 - 31/03/02

iii. The number of Sex Offender Orders 01/04/01 - 31/03/02

(a) The total number applied for - of which 2

(b) The number granted 2

(c) The number not granted 0

(d) The number of applications still in progress 1

iv. The number of violent offenders and other sex offenders 456
01/04/01 - 31/03/02 (s68 (3)(4)&(5) CJ&CS Act 2000)

2
The number of other offenders 01/04/01 - 31/03/02
(s67 (2) (b) CJ&CS Act 2000)
v. The cost of the local arrangements, to include initial set up
costs and staff hours.

Supported by the above explanations, areas should include COST

any costs that they can identify under the headings provided
on the costings sheet provided at Annex C. The one £153,000
requirement here is that any costs identified must be in
relation to new work which has arisen as a direct £118,237
requirement of the new statutory duty.

Total £271,237

NOTE
Contacts
Avon and Somerset Probation Area Address Phone

Jeanette Whitford Headquarters 0117 9151303

Chief Officer Brunel House
Jeanette.Whitford@avon-somerset.probation.gsx.gov.uk 83 Newfoundland Road
Bristol BS2 9LU

Jill Cotgrove 10 Canon Street 01823 346409

Assistant Chief Officer Taunton
Jill.Cotgrove@avon-somerset.probation.gsx.gov.uk Somerset TA1 1SN

Avon and Somerset Police Address Phone

Andy Drane Police HQ 01275 816004

Assistant Chief Constable PO Box 37
andy.drane@avonandsomerset.police.uk Valley Road
Portishead
Bristol BS20 8QJ

Barrie Douglas (As above) 01275 816702

Det Chief Inspector
barrie.douglas@avonandsomerset.police.uk

Victim Support Co-ordinators

(see Section 6 VICTIMS WORK) Address Phone

Bristol: 36 Dean Lane 0117 9631114

Bedminster
Bristol BS3 1BS

North East Somerset Radstock Police Station 01225 444212

Wells Road
Radstock
Bath BA23 3SG

North Woodspring PO Box 1013 01275 855105

Nailsea
Bristol BS48 2FG

Somerset 9a The Butts 01460 55400

Blackdown View
Ilminster
Somerset TA19 0AY

South Gloucestershire C/o South Glos Council 01454 866548

244 Station Road
Yate
South Glos BS37 4AF

Bath 12a Westgate Street 01225 444212

Bath
BA1 1EQ

Weston super Mare Weston Police Station 01934 638179

Walliscote Road
Weston super Mare
BS23 1UU