What is MAPPA?

MAPPA stands for Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements. It is the process through which the Police, Probation and Prison Services work together with other agencies to manage the risks posed by violent and sexual offenders living in the community in order to protect the public.

Who is managed through MAPPA?

There are three categories of violent and sexual offenders who are managed through MAPPA:

1. Registered sexual offenders are required to notify the police of their name, address and personal details, under the terms of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The length of time an offender is required to register with Police can be any period between 12 months to life, depending on the age of the offender, the age of the victim and the nature of the offence and sentence they received.

2. Violent offenders who have been sentenced to 12 months or more in custody or to detention in hospital and who are now living in the community subject to Probation supervision.

3. Other dangerous offenders who have committed an offence in the past and who are considered to pose a risk of serious harm to the public.

How does MAPPA work?

All MAPPA offenders are assessed to establish the level of risk of harm they pose to the public. Risk management plans are then worked out for each offender to manage those risks. MAPPA allows agencies to assess and manage offenders on a multi-agency basis by working together, sharing information and meeting, as
necessary, to ensure that effective plans are put in place.

There are three levels of MAPPA management. They are mainly based upon the level of multiagency co-operation required with higher risk cases tending to be managed at the higher levels. Offenders will be moved up and down levels, as appropriate.

Level 1 – Ordinary agency management is for offenders who can be managed by one or two agencies (e.g. police and/or probation). It will involve sharing information about the offender with other agencies, if necessary and appropriate.

Level 2 – Active multi-agency management is for offenders where the ongoing involvement of several agencies is needed to manage the offender. Once at level 2, there will be regular Multi-Agency Public Protection (MAPP) meetings about the offender.

Level 3 – Same arrangements as level 2 but cases qualifying for level 3 tend to be more demanding on resources and require the involvement of senior people from the agencies, who can authorise the use of extra resources. For example, surveillance on an offender or emergency accommodation.

It is not possible to eliminate all risks and some offenders continue to pose a risk to others and may cause harm to another person. Through these arrangements, we can take every available measure to manage and reduce the risk.

What happens if the offender doesn’t comply?

Registered sexual offenders who do not comply with the notification requirements can be taken to court by the Police and could face a fine and/ or up to five years in prison.

All offenders supervised by the National Probation Service must comply with the conditions of their order or licence. Any failure to do so will result in action being taken. For those on licence, this could mean a return to prison and, in emergency situations, this can happen within two hours. A failure to comply does not necessarily mean
that an offence has been committed; it could be a missed appointment or any behaviour which gives cause for concern.

Do offenders go to MAPPmeetings?

Offenders do not attend MAPP meetings but they are usually told about the meeting and the decisions made.

How are victims involved in MAPPA?

MAPPA is all about protecting the public. All MAPP meetings will identify who could be at risk from an offender and how those people can be protected.

In all cases where an offender has been sentenced to 12 months prison or more for a sexual or violent offence, the victim(s) will be offered contact by the probation service
Victim Liaison Officer (VLO). The VLO will keep the victim informed of any significant events in the sentence and help them ensure that their views are taken into account when planning for the offender’s release. This might, for example, include additional conditions in the post-release licence to stop the offender contacting the victim or to exclude the offender from the area where the victim lives.

Victims will not go to MAPP meetings but the VLO will attend. The VLO will ensure that the victim’s views and needs are properly represented.

Is information shared at MAPP meetings confidential?

Information shared at a MAPP meeting is treated confidentially and will only be used for the protection of the public.

Is information ever disclosed to the public?

It is not possible to eliminate all risks and some offenders continue to pose a risk to others and may cause harm to another person. In order to protect the public, there are occasions where information from a MAPP meeting is disclosed to another person or group of people in order to either protect them directly from the offender or for them to protect others. For example, leisure centre staff might be alerted where a local offender is felt to pose a risk to those using the centre. When information is disclosed it will always be to ensure that the public are being protected. The person disclosing the information will explain why the information is being disclosed and give
advice on what will happen afterwards. The information is always confidential and must not be shared with others without the permission of the person who made the disclosure. Every MAPP meeting will consider whether disclosure should take place to protect the public, especially children. When the MAPP meeting decides disclosure should happen it will agree the following: who will be given the information, by whom, how this should be done and when.

How do I find out more about MAPPA in my area?

Every police force area in England and Wales has a Strategic Management Board (SMB) which is responsible for making sure that MAPPA is working well in your area. The SMB is attended by senior managers from police, probation and prison services (who make up the Responsible Authority and together are legally responsible for the management of MAPPA) and those agencies who have a ‘duty to co-operate’. They are: Youth Offending Teams, Health Trusts and Authorities, Social Care Services, Local Authority Housing, Registered Social Landlords, Jobcentre Plus and Electronic Monitoring Providers. Two members of the public, known as Lay Advisers, also sit on the SMB.

Every year, your SMB publishes a MAPPA Annual Report, which is available on this site. For further information, contact your MAPPA Coordinator whose details are in the MAPPA Annual Report or through your area’s police or probation head office who will be able to provide you with contact details.

I am a MAPPA offender. How does this affect me?

Although you are a MAPPA offender, this does not necessarily mean that there will be MAPP meetings about you. In fact, most offenders are managed at level 1 through ordinary agency management.

Offenders do not attend MAPP meetings. However, it is usual to be told about the meeting so that you can work together with the agencies to lower the risks and for you to reduce the chance of re-offending.

The priority for MAPPA will always be protecting the public and this is best achieved by helping you, the offender, to be settled, stable and safe. Because each offender has different needs, this will often involve a number of agencies working together with you. For example, where an offender is eligible for rehousing, the location of a new property may be discussed at a MAPP meeting to make sure it is not near to victims of the offence(s); or where someone needs help from the drug, alcohol or mental health services, this will be arranged so all agencies know about it.

As an offender subject to MAPPA, it is important that you work with all the relevant agencies to minimise your risk to the public.