MAPPAS and Notification Requirements

Cumbria Constabulary are highlighting their unseen police work to protect vulnerable people in the community. The focus of the ongoing Operation MOVIE 2 campaign has moved to the invaluable work of the Constabulary’s MOSOVO department.

MOSOVO – standing for Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent offenders – is a specialist department within the Public Protection Unit.

Comprised of police officers, detectives and police staff investigators, they are responsible for the robust and complex management of registered sex offenders (RSO) and violent offenders (VO) in the community. MOSOVO work closely with colleagues from the Probation Service and carry out a range of tasks in partnership to keep the public safe and manage the activity of offenders as they rehabilitate into society.

Michelle Skeer, the constabulary’s Chief Constable, is the National Police Chief’s Council lead for MOSOVO.

The force invests in advancements in technology to stay at the forefront of offender management. Reducing reoffending and keeping the community safe are top priorities for the force.

Legislation, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, licence conditions and multi-agency public protection arrangements provide the MOSOVO department with effective tools for offender management, tools which monitor all areas of a released offenders life.

Management and Monitoring tools:

• Offender managers – each offender is assigned a dedicated offender manager to ensure compliance to any requirements needing to be upheld by the offender
• Each offender is subject of a detailed and individual risk assessment
• Each offender has a detailed individual risk management plan
• RSOs are subject to notification requirements where certain information must be supplied to police.
• Polygraph testing is a tool used to interview registered sex offenders about areas of risk
• Electronic monitoring – software is installed on the computers, tablets and phones of eligible sex offenders
• Court orders are obtained to prohibit risk related behaviours and activities
• Multi Agency Meetings are held under MAPPA to share information and manage risk.

• Licence conditions are imposed by the parole board and probation service; these are determined based on detailed risk assessments undertaken by the probation service and are intended to protect victims support risk management, prevent re-offending and encourage effective resettlement.Information about licence conditions can be found at:  Licence conditions Policy Framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

This press release will focus on MAPPA meetings and Notification Requirements.

MAPPA Meetings

MAPPA is the multi-agency framework that manages the most complex and high-risk offenders in the community.  There are different categories and levels of management, dependent on offence type and sentence.

A MAPPA meeting is made up of agencies who have a duty to co-operate and is lead by Police, Probation and Prisons.  Partner agencies include Housing, Health, Social Services (Children’s & Adults), Youth Offending Teams, Employment Services, Electronic Monitoring Services.

MAPPA meetings are held regularly to ensure an offender is consistently and robustly monitored across all agencies.

Risk Assessments are carried out and a coordinated Risk Management Plan is created or reviewed with input from all agencies.  The police and probation offender managers work closely together to ensure that all elements of the risk management plan are being delivered.

Meetings provide the opportunity for agencies supporting every aspect of the offender’s life to discuss any changes in circumstance or concerns and to bring awareness to anything that might need further support or discussion.

Further information can be found at:  Multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA): Guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Notifications Requirements

All registered sex offenders, managed by MOSOVO, are subject to the below Notification Requirements by law, for as long as they remain registerable.

• Must notify the police of their name and address within three days of being convicted of, or cautioned for, a relevant sexual offence
• Must inform the police of any change of name or address within three days of the change
• Must inform the police of any address they stay at for seven days or more
• Must confirm their details annually even if there is no change
• Must inform the police if they have stayed in a house with a child for more than 12 hours
• Must register passport, bank and national insurance details
• Must inform the police of all intended foreign travel.

Failure to observe these conditions is a separate criminal offence which can be punished with up to five years imprisonment.

Cumbria police’s Offender Managers stringently monitor an offender’s activity and adherences to their Notification Requirements. Breaches are taken seriously.

Last year in Cumbria, 17 MOSOVO managed offenders were cautioned or convicted for failing to comply with an element of their agreed notification requirements.

There are different periods of time offenders will remain subject to Notification Requirements (ranging from the duration of a conditional discharge to indefinitely). These are determined by the sentencing decision of the court.

The rules for offenders under the age of 18, differ slightly, to reflect their level of maturity; though a young offender may still receive indefinite notification.

In addition to Notification Requirements, many offenders will receive a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) at the point of sentencing.  Orders are bespoke to offenders and can prohibit behaviour that could lead to them causing sexual harm or committing a crime.

Examples of a SHPO include prohibited unsupervised contact with children and restricted internet access.

Detective Inspector Martin Hodgson said:

“MOSOVO officers are highly trained and skilled, but they also take pride and accountability in managing the offenders in their charge. It is rewarding to be able to help to keep the public safe.

“It may surprise the public to hear the level of in-depth management that an offender receives in order to break the cycle and stop reoffending.”

“The required level of monitoring isn’t a job that can be done by one service alone. It is only through providers from every aspect of a person’s life, being involved, and feeding information into MAPPA, that we can, so effectively, manage our offenders.

“Our partner agencies help us to make reoffending both difficult and unappealing.”

“There are offenders who break the conditions of their court order or their Notification Requirements, but they are monitored so closely, that when we find out about it, we put that offender back before the courts.”

“Thankfully, the majority of offenders under MOSOVO do not go on to reoffend.”

Lisa Thornton, Head of Probation, Cumbria, said:

“The partnership work between police, probation and other critical agencies in Cumbria is impressive in its approach and culture.  The teams work consistently and collaboratively, to join up their work to protect the public, and to make sure that the people we supervise are robustly managed on release and supported to engage in meaningful rehabilitation.

“We benefit from a network of policing and probation colleagues who understand their roles in public protection and diligently carry out their responsibilities in partnership.  This campaign and its focus on the work of these teams, is positive for allowing the public the opportunity to see the work we do to protect them.”

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, said:

“The work being carried out by the Constabulary, and partners, to continuously monitor sexual and violent offenders is extremely important to keep the public safe.

“Public safety and the safety of those who have been the victim of this type of offender is the main priority for the Constabulary and for me as PCC.

“Every case is dealt with in an appropriate manner and is bespoke to each offender which is very reassuring as each individual poses a different risk.

“This is unseen policing at its best, keeping our streets safe comes in many different formats and this is an excellent example of the work that happens away from the public eye – just because you don’t see an officer on the street doesn’t mean that they aren’t working hard to protect us.

“As Police and Crime Commissioner, putting victims first is one of my main priorities and I would urge anyone who has been the victim of a crime of any kind to reach out to any of the many commissioned services in Cumbria.

“Victim Support can provide information and advice on all types of crime and signpost people to appropriate and expert services that deal specifically with sexual crimes.

“Help is available – you are not alone.”

Follow the link for more information about a recent sentencing of a man who breached his SHPO: Great Clifton man jailed for breaching sexual harm protection order – Cumbria Constabulary.

During this campaign, Cumbria Constabulary will be sharing information on the work of the MOSOVO department, include in-depth details about their management, specialist monitoring tools including Polygraph Testing and electronic monitoring, disclosure schemes and support services available to victims or those at risk of offending.

To report information or concerns about an offender breaching their Notification Requirements or terms of releases please contact the police via the online reporting form www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit. You can also call 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

To report information completely anonymously, contact independent charity CrimeStoppers, on 0800 555 111.

If you are a victim of a sexual or violent offence the police would encourage you to report the offence so that safeguarding and support can be provided, and any crimes investigated. However, if you would like support without police involvement, contact Victim Support on 0300 303 0157.

For Victim Support’s live chat function, visit: www.victimsupport.org.uk/help-and-support/get-help/support-near-you/live-chat.

If you worried about your own, inappropriate thoughts or behaviour towards children, support is available. Contact the Lucy Faithful Foundation on 0808 1000 900 or visit www.stopitnow.org.uk for more information and contact options.

If you are concerned about your violent behaviour contact Victim Support for a range of self-referral, free services who can provide appropriate support to stop offending behaviour.