Last month the Isle of Wight was featured in the Channel Four programme, ‘Catching Paedophiles: Crime and Punishment’.
The episode followed Detective Claire Lyons from Hampshire Police Internet Child Abuse Team, as she worked through a case after discovering a man from the Island uploading indecent images of minors online.
Offender managers were featured as part of the documentary and Hampshire Constabulary shares below, with News OnTheWight readers, details of the hard work that their Offender Managers put in, alongside partners, to keep the public safe and manage the risk posed by potentially violent or sexual offenders. In their own words. Ed
Hampshire Constabulary invests significant resources into the protection of the public and the management of sexual and violent offenders. It is a duty we take very seriously.
We are unable to discuss individual cases, other than to say we have comprehensive and thorough risk management plans to ensure that offenders who are considered to pose the greatest risk to the public are managed under the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) framework.
Working with partners
This involves us working closely with other agencies including the probation service, prison service, local authorities and housing associations, to actively manage and monitor offenders.
Police work extremely hard with these agencies under the framework.
Such offenders are dealt with individually, according to the identified risks, and decisions affecting them are made after very careful consideration of their circumstances.
Reducing risk to the public
The Strategic MAPPA business plan recognises the need to develop housing strategies with local authorities that support effective public protection through the provision of suitable accommodation.
In cases where individuals are made homeless, placements are sought and secured so we can monitor them effectively and reduce the risk to the public.
Highly trained
Offender managers attend specialist courses to ensure they are highly trained in dealing with sexual and violent offenders.
Police officers make regular unannounced face-to-face visits to offenders, where the individual is subject to an intrusive investigative interview process to enable us to establish their routines, behaviours and interests.
Taking action through the courts
To support these visits, Offender Managers have a digital capability to detect whether offenders are committing further offences. If they are visited at their home address and decline to engage with police on two or more occasions, we can take action against them through the courts on this basis.
Prior to charge, we can also secure preventative orders through the courts, such as Sexual Risk Orders (SROs). An SRO, for example, generates a notification requirement for the individual whereby they must sign on at a police station regularly. The standard of proof for securing these orders is high, and it is testament to the hard work and expertise of offender managers that we can secure these orders for individuals prior to them having been charged with criminal offences.
Sexual Harm Prevention Orders
We also seek to apply for other ancillary orders at the point of conviction, such as Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPOs). Such an order may, for example, prohibit someone from undertaking certain forms of employment such as acting as a home tutor to children.
It may also prohibit the offender from engaging in particular activities on the Internet. Each order is tailored specifically to the circumstances of the individual and the case they are involved in.
Maintaining community cohesion
We also have a duty to prevent managed offenders coming to harm and maintain community cohesion. This may involve conducting Community Impact Assessments for example.
Each case is handled individually to ensure the safety of the public and the offenders involved is considered.
Image: Charles Deluvio under CC BY 2.0
