Online report 12/07 The operation and experience of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)

Drawing on interviews with a range of practitioners and offenders, and focus groups with panel members and Strategic Management Boards, this small-scale qualitative research study was undertaken as part of the Home Office’s review of the management of child sex offenders that reported in June 2007. The study identified and assessed specific operational practices in relation to sex offenders subject to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) levels 2 and 3. The research also assessed the experience of subjection to MAPPA and its perceived impact on offending related behaviour. Building on previous research (e.g. Kemshall et al 2005), the study found that MAPPA areas routinely made use of a wide range of external controls to restrict offenders and that the reported impact of these controls varied. Supervision and treatment programmes were used to enhance an offenders internal controls and capacity for ‘self-risk management’. Offenders claimed to engage with programmes and most reported benefits. The issue of disclosure was also examined in detail: areas were using their discretionary disclosure powers to disclose information to third parties. Wider ‘public disclosure’ was seen as ‘counter-productive’ and unlikely to enhance public protection. The study concluded with a series of recommendations to further strengthen MAPPA.