Lanarkshire Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)

How does MAPPA work?

MAPPA is a tiered framework for assessing and managing risk of harm. 

Before someone is referred to MAPPA, joint working arrangements will already be in place.

In the community

Usually, in the community, the police and social work will complete a joint risk assessment, which could be used to inform the Social Enquiry Report. 

A suggested level of entry to MAPPA is required and a referral would be made to the MAPPA Co-ordinator at the point of sentence, if the person is remaining in the community.

In prison

If the person is in prison, they will be assessed in line with the Integrated Case Management (ICM) process. 

A referral will be made to the MAPPA co-ordinator with sufficient time to allow any risk management action plans to be put in place.

There are three management levels in MAPPA:

Level 1: Routine risk management - is used in the majority of cases

The risks posed by the offender can be managed by one agency without significant active involvement from the other agencies.

The expectation for information sharing, joint working and collaboration at an interagency level remains.

Level 2: Multi agency risk management

This is usually used in high risk cases where the active involvement of more than one agency is required to manage the risks.

Level 3: Multi Agency Public Protection Panels (MAPPPs)

The MAPPP is responsible for offenders at level 3, who are expected to be the 'critical few' who pose an imminent risk of serious harm or where there is a high risk of media scrutiny or public interest in the case.

The  three management levels allow for a consistent approach to MAPPA throughout the country.

Each area has discretion in deciding which cases to refer at which level based on the experience and expertise of the agencies involved, but every area must establish arrangements based on the three levels.

The risk management structure is based on the principle that cases should be managed at the lowest MAPPA level commensurate with delivering a defensible risk management plan designed to address the risk of serious harm posed by the offender.

Sex offending spans a wide range of behaviour and it is important that the resources are concentrated against those offenders who may present the highest risk of harm to our communities. Allocation to a MAPPA level is a combination of the level of risk and the complexity of risk management required. The focus of MAPPA is the risk of serious harm to others.