RISK MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 creates a new public body, the Risk Management Authority. This follows the recommendations of the MacLean Committee on Serious Violent and Sexual Offenders.
The Authority is intended to address two key problems which were identified in the arrangements for high risk offenders:
- There was no central body acting as a repository of information, guidance and standards and actively taking forward the debate on risk assessment and risk minimisation approaches. Differences in systems and approaches between different agencies reduce the overall effectiveness of the assessment and minimisation package provided to an offender.
- There were problems of interagency communication and information exchange and a lack of consistency across the country.
The Convener, Members and staff of the Authority have been appointed and started their work. The Authority is based in Paisley.
The Authority will be expert in the fields of risk assessment and risk minimisation. It has the following specific statutory functions to support its role:
- To develop policy and carry out and monitor research in risk assessment and minimisation
- To set standards for and issue guidance to those involved in the assessment and minimisation of risk
- To approve and monitor risk management plans for those high risk sexual and violent offenders who receive an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR).
- To accredit people involved in risk assessment and minimisation and the methods and practices used in the assessment and minimisation of risk
- To carry out education or training activities in relation to the assessment and minimisation of risk or to commission such activities.