This is the 2nd of the publications I received from the  Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. This publication along with all others were first obtained whilst I was in prison and which I might add, took me a long time to acquire them. This was not the fault of the RDSD but with the prison where I was at the time I requested them and only managed to get them after several letters to the Home Office and many wing applications, I can only assume that someone in authority didn't want me to have them. Again, this particular publication makes for very interesting reading and that it's contents will be of some value to those of you that it applies too!!!!

Foreword

Public Protection Panels (PPPs) now play an important role in the process of assessing and managing sexual and violent offenders in the community. Decisions made by these panels are informed by information from a range of risk assessment methods. This PRC report provides an overview of the different means of risk assessment and management for such offenders. The management and operation of multi-agency PPPs has been explored in detail in a complementary study, Risk Management of Sexual and Violent Offenders: The work of Public Protection Panels (Maguire et al, 2001). Within a fast-changing field, this report is intended to provide practitioners with a snapshot of the risk assessment tools currently available. It will be of interest to all those in the police service and beyond involved in the practice of managing sexual and violent offenders in the community.


Carole F. Willis
Head of Policing and Reducing Crime Unit
Research, Development and Statistics Directorate
Home Office
April 200l


Acknowledgements

Professor Grubin's literature review (1998) provided an important starting point for this work. Professor Mike Maguire and Lesley Noaks of Cardiff University provided comments on the first draft, and my thanks are extended to Gay Hill and the staff of the West Midlands Probation Service library for provision of much of the literature. Staff at the Scraptoft library, De Montfort University, also provided immense support and Ann Lane provided invaluable advice and support with the -final layout of the report. Finally, I would like to acknowledge Emma Marshall of PRC. Her support and encouragement ensured that the report reached publication. Much of the thinking and knowledge used in the preparation of this report was acquired during research sponsored by the economic and Social Research Council, entitled 'Risk in Probation Practice' (1994-1997; L211252018)

The author
Hazel Kemshall is Professor of Community and Criminal Justice in the Department of Social and Community Studies at De Montfort University.

PRC would like to thank Professor Sylvia Walby of the University of Leeds and Professor Don Grubin of the Department of Forensic Psychiatry, St. Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, who acted as external assessors for this report.