Restriction and Rehabilitation: Getting the Right ... - Ministry of Justice

1.5 This new inspection also takes forward findings from the joint inspection by HMI
Probation, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HMIC, Putting Risk of Harm in Context,
in 2006 on public protection, 6 and HMI Probation’s Offender Management
Inspections between 2006 and 2009.
1.6 The 2006 joint inspection report, Putting Risk of Harm in Context, concluded that,
despite many encouraging examples of joint working, about one-third of the cases
inspected required improvement. The recommendations focused on work:
to develop a consistent understanding of MAPPA, including common
definitions shared by all agencies, better recording of caseloads,
streamlined processes, shared targets and co-location of staff where
feasible
to improve the quality of OASys RoSH assessments and victim
awareness work.
1.7 Analysis of the data from HMI Probation’s Offender Management Inspections
between 2006 and 2009 showed that the way sexual offenders was managed was
better, in some significant respects, than the way other offenders were managed.
For example:
Methodology
89% of RoSH assessments on sexual offenders were judged to be of
sufficient quality in comparison to 79% for other offence types
the RoSH assessment sufficiently covered victim issues in 70% of
cases compared to 54% for other offence types.
1.8 The purpose of a thematic inspection is to examine the management of specific
issues and make recommendations for improvement. This inspection considered
practice and performance from six probation trusts and police forces: West
Yorkshire (Bradford); London (Tower Hamlets); Hertfordshire; North Wales;
Staffordshire; and Lancashire. These sites were selected to provide a cross-section
of areas and forces in England and Wales, with a mix of rural and urban
environments.
1.9 The criteria for this inspection covered:-
national and local leadership, including accountability and governance
MAPPA and the effectiveness of joint working
the quality of assessment, planning and review
the quality of interventions available outside of accredited programmes
staff training and supervision.
1.10 A case assessment tool was developed, piloted, and refined prior to the inspection
weeks. Fieldwork was undertaken between February and April 2009, during which
time we inspected 74 probation records and 62 of the corresponding police case
records. We decided that all identified females and most black or minority ethnic
offenders should be included in the inspection to give us the best opportunity to
examine diversity issues in the management of these offenders. Similarly, as
almost half the offenders convicted for a sexual offence are not required to attend
a Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP), we also included a disproportionate
number (64%) of these cases in the case sample as we particularly wanted to
examine the quality of the work undertaken with them.
Restriction and Rehabilitation: Getting the Right Mix 11