This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Measures to reduce risk from sex offenders
26/03/2003
An expert group will meet for the first time today to
consider how agencies working with sex offenders in
Scotland can work together better to deliver a safer
environment for communities.
Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace set up the group -
chaired by Solicitor General for Scotland Elish Angiolini
QC - to encourage the exchange of skills, sharing of
information and best practice across the country by those
managing the risk presented to society by sex
offenders.
Jim Wallace said:
"The Scottish Executive wants people to be safe and feel
safe. It is vital that we correctly manage those who pose a
risk to public safety.
"We have already implemented many of the recommendations
made by Lady Cosgrove's Panel and by Lord MacLean's
Committee on serious violent and sexual offenders,
including changes to our legislation.
"This group, that meets for the first time today, takes
the work a stage further. In this day and age, we are all
aware of the importance of collecting and using information
and intelligence to good effect. This Group brings together
people with a wealth of experience who can embed a culture
of information sharing and exchange into the working
practices of key agencies. The Solicitor General will bring
her own unique understanding of this matter to the
deliberations of the Group."
The Elish Angiolini QC said:
"My past experience in prosecuting sex offender cases
and in listening to the views of victims has made clear how
important it is that we work together as effectively as
possible. We need to work across traditional boundaries so
that agencies in the criminal justice system come together
with those agencies working in the fields of education,
health, housing and community safety to manage the risk
presented to society by sex offenders.
"Individual agencies may not always be aware that they
hold information which can reduce such risks and so I want
to see a framework of protocols, guidance and strategies in
place to underpin improvements in working practices. This
needs to be supported by inter-agency training."
The Expert Panel on Sex Offending which was chaired by
Honourable Lady Cosgrove published its report "Reducing the
Risk: Improving the response to sex offending" on 12 June
2001. It set out to build a more cohesive framework for
protecting the public from the problem of sex
offending.
It contained 73 wide-ranging recommendations covering
-
- Community and personal safety and prevention
- Risk assessment
- Access to Personal Change programmes
- Monitoring sex offenders
- Housing provision for sex offenders
- Information Management
The group chaired by the Solicitor General for Scotland
will implement the recommendations on improving information
sharing made by Lady Cosgrove's panel. Its remit will be to
promote the efficient and effective flow of information
between the key agencies involved in the management of sex
offenders by developing protocols, guidance and strategies
which address, where necessary, issues of confidentiality
and data protection. The group is to complete its work over
the next twelve months and publish a report setting out its
conclusions.
The group includes representatives from the Crown Office
and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Court Service,
the Scottish Prison Service, Directors of Social Work,
Health and Education, the voluntary sector and the Scottish
Executive.
The work of the expert group will dovetail with the work
on the risk management of sex offenders within the Criminal
Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 that was passed by the Scottish
Parliament last month.