Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) 

Introduced in 2007, under the Management of Offenders Act 2005, section 10 and 11, MAPPA is a set of statutory partnership arrangements, delivered under National Guidance (2023). The fundamental purpose of MAPPA is public protection and managing the risk of serious harm. MAPPA is not a statutory body in itself but is a statutory framework through which the Responsible Authorities discharge their statutory responsibilities and protect the public. The responsible authorities outlined within the National Guidance (2023) are: Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland (G Division), Scottish Prison Service, and Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS in respect of Restricted Patients only. It also provides for agencies who have a duty to co-operate (DTC) with the Responsible Authorities in relation to the management of individuals, which include: Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS for category 1 and 2 offenders, Department of Work and Pensions, Social Security Scotland, Registered Social Landlords, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, any person/organisation providing services to or on behalf of a responsible authority. 
 
The aim of MAPPA is to protect the public by managing and reducing the risk of serious harm posed by 3 categories of offenders:

  • Category 1: Registered Sexual Offenders, who are required to notify under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. 
  • Category 2: Mentally Disorder Restricted Patients under Mental Health Legislation, who are detained in hospital following: conviction under section 57A and 59 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995; due to a compulsion order with restriction order following a finding of unfitness for trial or acquittal by reason of mental disorder; prisoners detained in hospital on a hospital direction or a transferred prisoner on a transfer for treatment direction. 
  • Category 3: Other Risk of Serious Harm Offenders, this category comprises of offenders that have been convicted of an offence, and as a result of that conviction are subject to supervision in the community by any order, enactment or licence. To the meet the criteria to be considered under category 3, the offender may have been assessed as posing a high or very high risk of serious harm and/or it has been risk assessed that that active multi-agency management is required. 

 
There are 3 different levels of MAPPA meetings: 

  • Level 1 - Routine Risk management: Routine management arrangements are applied by the agency or agencies with the supervisory responsibility. This may be the Police and Community Justice Social Work, or the Police alone. With Restricted Patients the NHS will be the lead authority. Level 1 risk management is not applied to category 3 offenders. 
  • Level 2 - Multi Agency Risk Management: The process of level 2 is implemented where the risk management plan requires the involvement of multiple agencies to reduce the risk of serious harm posed by an offender. Level 2 management can be applied to all 3 categories of offenders’ subject to MAPPA. Cases that are deemed complex and are resource intensive may also be subject to level 2 management. Regular MAPPA review meetings are held for individuals subject to level 2 management. During the meetings a multi-agency risk management plan is developed, and subject to on-going evaluation to ensure that it is robust in managing the risk of serious harm posed by the individual. 
  • Level 3 - Multi Agency Public Protection Panel: There are some cases, which are referred to as the critical few, where the risk of serious harm they present is such a high level and/or the level of resources required to manage the risk of serious harm is significantly higher than what would routinely be applied that it requires senior representatives to attend to endorse strategies required to manage the risk posed. 

 MAPPA Reports

MAPPA Significant Case Review

National Performance Indicators

National Performance Indicators
95% (previously 90%) of level 3 cases to be reviewed no less than once every 6 weeks
95% (previously 85%) of level 2 cases to be reviewed no less than once every 12 weeks
90% attendance by Duty to Co-operate (DTC) agency at an appropriate level of seniority when invited to level 2 and 3 meetings
90% attendance by Police and Social Work at an agreed level of seniority at level 2 and 3 meetings including Risk Management Team Meetings
100% written contributions for Responsible Authorities and DTCs in cases of non-attendance
100% of MAPPP initial level 3 meetings for cases in custody to take place 4 weeks prior to liberation
90% of level 2 and 3 minutes to be complete and released within 10 working days
Disclosure to be considered and recorded in the minutes at 100% in level 2 and 3 meetings