…By Jack Sylva for TDPel Media.
UK police and probation services will be overwhelmed by the increasing number of registered sex offenders unless reforms are made, warns a review led by former Derbyshire chief constable Mick Creedon.
It cited a “pressing need to change given the modern complexities of society, of offending and of policing, coupled with the inexorable rise in the current and future numbers subject to MAPPA and police supervision and control”, referring to the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements that manage the process of registering sex offenders.
The number of registered sex offenders has increased by 111% since 2006/2007, with a growth of 3-8% each year, reaching over 64,000 in 2021.
Reforms needed to avoid a public safety threat
According to the report, the pressures faced by policing have “changed markedly” since 2001.
The service now operates in a global and digital world, with new offences and reduced resources, while a “growing volume” of sex offenders enter the MAPPA system each year.
These factors have placed “unprecedented pressures” on policing and the criminal justice system, which have been “further exacerbated by the long-term reduction in policing resources”.
The report stated that there is “some evidence” that registered sex offenders are being “managed effectively” under the current system, but the “continual growth in numbers is inevitable”.
If the average year-on-year increase of 6% continues, the number of registered sex offenders managed under MAPPA would be nearing 80,000 within the next two years and reach over 100,000 by 2029.
Reforms proposed by the report
The review recommended a review of whether the current notification requirements are fit for purpose and exploring whether courts should have discretion over the application of notification requirements.
The period of time before an offender can apply to have their notification requirements removed should be lowered from 15 years to 10 years, and a single risk assessment system should be created across police and probation.
The report suggested that the government should commission further research into early intervention and explore the creation of a Sexual Offending Prevention Fund.
It also urged avoiding the creation of registers for other categories of offenders, including those convicted of domestic abuse.
Mick Creedon’s report concludes that the current system of managing sex offenders in the community must be reformed to protect the public from future serious victimisation.
The proposed reforms may face resistance, however, as they involve fundamental changes in how registered sex offenders are monitored and will require additional funding and resources from the government to ensure the success of the proposed measures.