Introduction

The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) is the process that the Police, Probation and Prison Services use to work with other agencies to manage the risks posed by violent and sexual offenders living in the community.

Who is managed through MAPPA

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

• Category 1: Certain Sex Offenders are required to register their name, address and other personal details with the police. The length of time an offender is required to register with the police can vary between 12 months and life depending on the age of the offender, the age of the victim and the nature of the offence and sentence they received. Offenders placed on the sex offenders register for life have a right of appeal.
• Category 2: Certain 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.
• Category 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 MAPPA works

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 to make sure that effective plans are put in place. Offenders are managed at one of three levels, based on the level of multi-agency co-operation required and can move up and down the levels as appropriate.

• Level 1 – Ordinary agency management is for offenders who can be managed by one or two agencies – for example, police 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.