Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA): overview report 2019 to 2020

6.0 The Scottish Prison Service (SPS)

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is committed to protecting the public from harm as a Responsible Authority in the operation and governance of the MAPPA.

The risk assessment and management of individuals in custody who are subject to release on licence is carried out in partnership with Local Authority Justice Social Workers, through an enhanced version of the Integrated Case Management (ICM) process.

Such individuals are risk assessed, using a structured professional judgement approach informed by a variety of risk assessment tools. For certain individuals, a Psychological Risk Assessment may be carried out by SPS Forensic Psychologists and used to inform ICM case conferences and at key points in a person's time in custody, to share information and inform action plans.

SPS establishments work in partnership with MAPPA coordinators, prison and community based Justice Social Work Teams and Police Scotland Offender Management Units.

SPS is represented on the MAPPA National Strategic Group, MAPPA Development Group and short-life working groups established to progress the future delivery of MAPPA. Prison Governors also contribute to and attend local Strategic Oversight Groups.

A summary of SPS activity in 2019-2020 includes:

Ensuring all internal practitioners and stakeholders are aware of relevant policy and guidance including:

• Updated Victim Notification Scheme which expands the opportunity to make representations in relation to Temporary Release, (April 2019); and
• Advanced Risk training provided to Senior Psychologists across 2019-20.

Progressing all actions relating to Significant Case Review (SCR) Recommendations including:

• Working closely with the Scottish Government in continuing to review processes relating to First Grant of Temporary Release applications, in order to strengthen focus on: Risk Assessment, Analysis, suitability of Risk Management Plans and assurance.
• SPS appointed an external, experienced prison operator to review implementation of the 2018 revision to policy and guidance for Risk Management, Progression & Temporary Release in order to identify improvements and ensure consistency in application.

Programme Delivery

SPS delivered 239 completions of its range of offending behaviour programmes to individuals who were assessed as eligible and motivated to participate.

In line with Public Health guidance related to Covid-19, SPS took the decision to temporarily suspend offending behaviour programmes from 20 March 2020. At this point, there were 57 people in custody actively engaged in programme work. Further completions were expected from this work by the end of March 2020, which would have increased the overall total number of completions detailed in the following table:

SPS are represented on the Scottish Government Moving Forward Making Changes (MF:MC) National Advisory Board, along with a number of other national partners with expertise in this area. Further to last year's report, work continues on the redesign of the MF:MC Programme. All MF:MC programme completions annotated in the above table were delivered to the standards in place when the programme was subject to accreditation.

SPS also offers a range of other opportunities and supports to people in custody to help them build their strengths and address their needs in preparation for release. Such supports are assessed on an individual basis and can include substance misuse treatment, assistance with mental health, vocational and academic education to increase job readiness, and support with family matters such as parenting and relationships. There is a specific intervention for young adult men and a separate specific intervention for female offending.

As a consequence of Covid-19 restrictions, access to Offending Behaviour Programmes will likely be delayed and an increase in associated waiting lists is anticipated over the coming months. SPS recognises the significant challenge this presents and is actively working on recovery planning for Offending Behaviour Programmes.