Scottish Government MAPPA annual overview report 2016

8.0 The Scottish Prison Service (SPS)

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

The risk assessment and management of offenders in custody who are subject to release on licence is carried out in partnership with Local Authority Criminal Justice Social Workers, through an enhanced version of the Integrated Case Management ( ICM) process. Such offenders are risk assessed by Prison Based Social Workers, using a structured professional judgement approach informed by risk assessment tools approved by the Risk Management Authority ( RMA) including: the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory ( LS/ CMI); Stable and Acute 2007 ( SA07); and the Risk Matrix 2000 ( RM2000). Where necessary, offenders may also be subject to a Psychological Risk Assessment carried out by SPS Forensic Psychologists. Such formal risk assessments are used to inform ICM case conferences annually, and at key points in an offender's sentence, to share information and inform individual action plans.

SPS establishments work in partnership with CJA MAPPA coordinators, prison and community based Criminal Justice Social Work Teams and Police Scotland Offender Management Units. SPS ICM teams provide MAPPA referrals on all prisoners who are: being released from custody at their earliest date of liberation; being considered for progression to less secure conditions; or whose cases are being considered for release by the Parole Board for Scotland. SPS managers attend meetings in the community for offenders managed at MAPPA Level 3 and Level 2 (where necessary). SPS has a central ViSOR team located within its Public Protection Unit. The team has 3 ViSOR terminals which are used to keep the records of eligible offenders up to date with information that is shared with other responsible authorities in the assessment and management of risk.

In terms of governance of the MAPPA, SPS is represented on the MAPPA National Strategic Group and MAPPA Development Group. SPS also contributes to Police Scotland's quarterly Offender Management Working Group ( OMWG). Governors represent SPS at a local level through their membership of Community Justice Authorities' Strategic Oversight Groups.

SPS Developments 2015-16

The major development in 2015-16 was preparation for the extension of the MAPPA to "Other Risk of Serious Harm Offenders", which commenced on 31 ^st March 2016. SPS worked in partnership with the Scottish Government and other agencies to agree procedures that ensured the extension was implemented successfully and on time. It also expanded its ViSOR capability by installing an additional terminal and recruiting and training an additional member of the team.

SPS participated in the Joint Thematic Review of MAPPA in Scotland conducted by the Care Inspectorate and HMIC. The report had one area for development for SPS:

"The Scottish Prison Service should monitor and maintain the continued improvement in the use of ViSOR."

In addressing this area for development, SPS has not only increased its VISOR capability, but has also issued improved guidance to prisons on the transmission of information to the central ViSOR team.

SPS delivered a total of 337 completions of its range of offending behaviour programmes to offenders who were assessed as eligible and motivated to participate:

In addition, SPS 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, assessed on an individual basis 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.