Risk Management in Action in SPS Paul Davidson SPS Policy Development Manager
SPS General Duties To carry out the sentence of the court in accordance with the law Duty of care for prisoners in accordance with the law To prepare prisoners for release To co-operate with partner agencies in public protection
Prisoner’s Journey TEN warrant/sentence types ( all with different provisions & critical dates) ONE offender management process (ICM, including MAPPA) Three broad phases (adjustment & motivation, intervention, preparation for release) Intervention (includes Good Lives, substance misuse, education and employment, social and professional supports, other offending behaviour programmes, observation and monitoring) Phases are seldom linear; like risk they are dynamic
Risk Management Roles PBSW ICM members RMT members Information sharing Risk assessment & management planning SPS Forensic Psychology Treatment managers/ programme facilitators Psychological Risk Assessment Case Management of OLR sentences RMT Members Mental Health where applicable Information sharing SPS Operational Teams Ongoing Case & custodial management of prisoners Information sharing Programme facilitators RMT members Risk Management Planning
The Role of RMT Multi – disciplinary group chaired by deputy governors/governors in charge To consider progression to less secure conditions to prepare for release To consider risk management plans for less secure conditions and recommend plans to NTE/ Open prisons To regularly review the management of prisoners subject to OLR To commission specific types of treatment or risk assessment when necessary To commission applications for ministerial consent for life sentence prisoners to access the community To recommend previous abscond cases for consideration by ECMDP To consider conditions and risk management measures to be applied during community access To examine cases in less secure conditions in which risks may be active and downgrade required. Defensible, proportionate decisions
Preparation for Release Less staff supervision Temporary release on licence -Special Escorted Leave -Community work placement -Unescorted Day release -Open Prison -Home Leave Why do we do it?
SPS & MAPPA Advance notification on admission Provisional level setting meetings at key stages Referral at key stages (pre- parole, pre transfer, pre-release) SPS attendance or written reports at Level 2 SPS mandatory attendance at Level 3 VISOR entries at SPS HQ from ICM Co-Ordinators Named primary and secondary MAPPA contacts in each prison
Challenges Low % of sex offenders preparing for release ECHR risk (James, Wells & Lees v UK 2012) HMIP recommendations 2011 MAPPA information in RMT decisions Work placements for sex offenders Home leave facilities for sex offenders Meeting differential service needs Health involvement in ICM/RMT/MAPPA /parole processes High numbers of OLR sentences, some approaching punishment part expiry