Multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) annual report 2014 to 2015
Source: data.gov.uk (2018-05-25)

Multi-agency public protection arrangements statistics. This annual publication presents the number of MAPPA eligible offenders in England and Wales, and information related to these offenders, including a summary of the information provided in the MAPPA reports published by each of the areas.

Multi-Agency Public 
Protection Arrangements 
Annual Report 2014/15 
 
Ministry of Justice 
Statistics Bulletin  
 
 
29 October 2015 
 

 
1 
 
Introduction 
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) are a set of statutory 
arrangements to assess and manage the risk posed by certain sexual and 
violent offenders. They are established by virtue of Sections 325 to 327 of 
the Criminal Justice Act 2003.  
MAPPA bring together the Police, Probation and Prison Services into what is 
known as the MAPPA Responsible Authority for each MAPPA Area. MAPPA 
Areas are co-terminous with police force areas, as set out in the Police Act 
1996. 
A number of other agencies are under a duty to co-operate with the 
Responsible Authority. These include: Children’s Services, Adult Social 
Services, Health Trusts and Authorities, Youth Offending Teams, Home 
Office Immigration Enforcement, local housing authorities and certain 
registered social landlords, Jobcentre Plus, and electronic monitoring 
providers. 
Offenders eligible for MAPPA are identified and information is gathered and 
shared about them across relevant agencies. The nature and level of the risk 
of harm they pose is assessed and a coordinated risk management plan is 
implemented to protect the public. 
The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as 
National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service 
Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official 
Statistics: www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice  
Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics:  
• meet identified user needs;  
• are well explained and readily accessible;  
• are produced according to sound methods; and  
• are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.  
Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory 
requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed. 
This report relates to offenders in England and Wales only. Information on 
MAPPA in Scotland can be found here: 
www.gov.scot/Topics/Justice/policies/reducing-reoffending/sex-offender-
management/protection 
Information on MAPPA in Northern Ireland can be found here: 
www.publicprotectionni.com/ 

 
2 
 
By virtue of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, there are 3 broad categories of 
offender eligible for MAPPA: 
 Category 1 - Registered sexual offenders: offenders who have been 
convicted of a specified sexual offence1 and/or to whom the 
notification requirements under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 
2003 apply (and who are therefore required to notify the Police of 
their name, address and other personal details, and notify the Police 
of any subsequent changes); 
 Category 2 - Violent offenders: offenders convicted of a specified 
violent offence1 and sentenced to imprisonment/detention for 12 
months or more, or detained under a hospital order. This category 
also includes a small number of sexual offenders who do not qualify 
for the notification requirements that apply to Category 1 offenders; 
and 
 Category 3 - Other Dangerous Offenders: offenders who do not 
qualify under Categories 1 or 2 but have been assessed as currently 
posing a risk of serious harm. The link between the offence they have 
perpetrated and the risk that they pose means that they require active 
multi-agency management. 
Under MAPPA, there are 3 levels at which offenders are managed, which 
reflect the level of multi-agency co-operation required to implement 
effectively the individual offender’s risk management plan. Offenders may be 
moved up or down the levels to reflect changes in the level of risk that they 
present or the action required to manage it. 
 Level 1 - Ordinary Agency Management. These offenders are subject 
to the usual management arrangements applied by whichever agency 
has the lead in supervising them. Information will usually be 
exchanged between relevant agencies, especially between police and 
probation, but formal multi-agency meetings will not be held to 
discuss the offender’s case. 
 Level 2 - Active Multi-agency Management. The risk management 
plans for these offenders require the active involvement of several 
agencies via regular multi-agency public protection meetings.  
 Level 3 - Active Multi-agency Management. As with offenders 
managed at Level 2, the active involvement of several agencies is 
required; however, the risk presented by offenders managed at 
Level 3 means that the involvement of senior staff from those 
                                            
1 See appendix 4, MAPPA Guidance 2012, for qualifying offences: 
www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/multi-agency-public-protection-arrangements 
 

 
3 
 
agencies is additionally required to authorise the use of additional 
resources, such as for specialised accommodation.  
In most cases, the offender will be managed under the ordinary 
arrangements applied by the agency or agencies with supervisory 
responsibility. A number of offenders, though, require active multi-agency 
management, and their risk management plans will be formulated and 
monitored via Multi-Agency Public Protection meetings attended by various 
agencies.  
Revisions in this edition 
As a result of data quality checks carried out in the production of this 
publication, an error was identified in the data supplied for Table 4: Trends 
in MAPPA-eligible offenders in Level 2 and Level 3 by category (yearly total) 
that affected this and previous years’ data. The annual data request sent to 
MAPPA areas asks for the total number of MAPPA offenders managed at 
Level 2 or 3 throughout the year and for those offenders managed at more 
than one level, for them to be counted at the highest level at which they were 
managed in the year. Some data provided in previous years counted 
offenders at the most recent Level that they had been managed during the 
year. As offenders will tend to be moved to lower levels over the course of 
management, this resulted in the figures in this table showing an undercount 
of offenders managed at Levels 2 and 3. Correct data have been sourced 
back to 2012/13 and Table 4 revised with these figures from 2012/13 
onwards. Table 4 now shows these revised figures with a break in the time 
series. As the undercount has been broadly consistent over time, this 
revision only affects the absolute number of MAPPA offenders reported 
while the overall trend of decreases in the number of offenders managed at 
Levels 2 and 3 over time remains. More details on this revision can be found 
in Annex 1. 
Data for Table 7b:  Category 1 Offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) 
managed at Level 2 and Level 3 sent to custody for breach of SOPO have 
been revised for 2013/14 and removed for 2012/13. During data quality 
checks carried out in the production of this publication, it was identified that 
data provided for 2013/14 had included Category 1 offenders returned to 
custody for reasons other than breach of SOPO and so 2013/14 data were 
revised. It was not possible to establish if a similar error had occurred in 
2012/13. However, due concerns about the variation in figures for 2012/13 
compared with other years and the confirmed error in data for 2013/14, it 
was decided to remove 2012/13 data from the table as the quality of the data 
could not be assured. The statements in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 MAPPA 
Annual Reports that there had been an increase in Category 1 Offenders 
returned to custody for breach of SOPO in each year no longer apply.  
Users and uses of these Statistics 
The contents of the report will be of interest to the public, the media, and 
agencies responsible for offender management at both national and local 
levels, government policy makers and others who want to understand more 

 
4 
 
about MAPPA eligible offenders, including registered sex offenders, the use 
of restrictive orders and serious further offences. 
The statistics included in this publication meet a broad spectrum of user 
needs as shown below. 
 
User  
Summary of main statistical needs  
MoJ Ministers  
Statistics are used to monitor the MAPPA 
offender caseload, use of some restrictive 
orders and serious further offences.  
MPs and House of Lords  
Statistics are used to answer parliamentary 
questions. 
Policy teams  
Statistics are used to inform policy 
development, to monitor impact of changes 
over time and to model future changes and 
their impact on the system. 
Agencies responsible for 
offender management  
Current and historical administrative data are 
used to support performance management 
information at national and local levels to 
complement their understanding of the 
current picture and trends over time  
Academia, students and 
businesses  
Statistics are used as a source for research 
purposes and to support lectures, 
presentations and conferences.  
Journalists  
Statistics are used as a compendium of data 
on MAPPA offenders so that an accurate and 
coherent story can be told on this subset of 
the offender population.  
Voluntary sector  
Statistics are used to monitor trends of 
MAPPA offenders, to reuse the data in their 
own briefing and research papers and to 
inform policy work and provide responses to 
consultations.  
General public  
Statistics are used to respond to ad-hoc 
requests and requests made under the 
Freedom of Information Act.  
 
Related publications 
Offender Management Statistics Quarterly Bulletin2: This bulletin provides key 
statistics relating to offenders who are in prison or supervised by the National 
Probation Service or Community Rehabilitation Companies. It covers flows into 
these services (receptions into prison or probation starts) and flows out (releases 
from prison or probation terminations) as well as the caseload of both services at 
specific points in time. 
 
                                            
2 Offender Management Statistics www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-
statistics-quarterly 

 
5 
 
Release Schedule 
This bulletin was published on 29 October 2015 and includes financial year 
statistics for the year 2014/15. 
The next publication of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements is scheduled 
to be published in October 2016. 

 
6 
 
Key findings 
 On 31 March 2015 there were 68,214 MAPPA-eligible offenders. Of 
these, 73% were Category 1 (Registered Sexual Offenders), 27% were 
Category 2 (Violent Offenders) and less than 1% were Category 3 (Other 
Dangerous Offenders). The majority of cases (98%) were managed at 
Level 1 – ordinary agency management.  
Figure 1: MAPPA eligible offenders by category on 31 March 2010 – 
2015  
 
 The total number of MAPPA-eligible offenders on 31 March 2015 is 5% 
higher than on 31 March 2014. This increase is entirely in Category 1 
(Registered Sex Offenders), while numbers in the other two categories 
fell slightly.  
 The rate of Category 1 offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) in 
2014/15 is 98 per 100,000 of population. This is an increase from 92 in 
2013/14 and continues a trend of successive annual increases.  
 The number of Category 1 offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) who 
were cautioned or convicted for breaches of their notification requirement 
was 2,070 in 2014/15, or 4.2 offenders cautioned or convicted for breach 
per 100 offenders. This is a rise of less than 1% from the 2,057 offenders 
who were cautioned or convicted for breach in 2013/14. 
 There were 64 Level 2 and Level 3 MAPPA managed Category 1 
offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) sent to custody for breach of 
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Number  of  MAPPA-eligible  offenders
Category 3
Category 2
Category 1

 
7 
 
their Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). This was a decrease of 
17% from 77 in 2013/143. 
 The number of MAPPA eligible offenders charged with Serious Further 
Offences (SFO) in this reporting period is 222. This is a 28% rise from 
2013/14 when there were 174 offenders charged with a SFO.  
                                            
3 This is a revision from the data published in the previous annual publication. 

 
8 
 
MAPPA eligible offenders 
On 31 March 2015 there were 68,214 MAPPA-eligible offenders.  
Around 73% of MAPPA-eligible offenders are Category 1 (Registered Sexual 
Offenders) and the majority of cases (98%) are managed at Level 1 (Table 
1). 
Table 1: MAPPA-eligible offenders on 31 March 2015  
 
The total number of MAPPA-eligible offenders at 31 March 2015 is an 
increase of 5% when compared with 31 March 2014 (Table 2); this is 
consistent with annual rises since 2008/09.  
Table 2: MAPPA-eligible offenders by Category on 31 March(a)  
 
The overall increase is entirely due to an increase of 7% in Category 1 
(Registered Sexual Offenders), continuing a trend of successive annual rises 
since 2006/07. Category 2 (Violent Offenders) fell by 1% between 31 March 
2014 and 31 March 2015, the first fall since 2008/09. The long-term 
reduction in Category 3 (Other Dangerous Offenders) continued, falling by 
Category 1 
Category 2 
Category 3
Total 
Management Level
Registered 
Sexual 
Offenders
Violent 
Offenders
Other 
Dangerous 
Offenders
Level 1
48,784
17,857
-
66,641
Level 2
645
582
225
1,452
Level 3
37
54
30
121
Total
49,466
18,493
255
68,214
Note: '-' is used because Category 3 offenders are only managed at Levels 2 and 3.
Category 1 
Category 2 (a)
Category 3 (a)
Total 
Year
Registered 
Sexual 
Offenders
Violent 
Offenders
Other 
Dangerous 
Offenders
2006/07
30,416
14,921
3,132
-
2007/08
31,392
16,249
2,569
-
2008/09
32,347
11,689
884
44,920
2009/10
34,939
13,307
633
48,879
2010/11
37,225
14,508
479
52,212
2011/12
40,345
14,947
412
55,704
2012/13
43,567
16,140
389
60,096
2013/14
46,102
18,649
332
65,083
2014/15
49,466
18,493
255
68,214
(a) Up to and including 2007/08 this figure w as a yearly total; from 2008/09 this figure is taken at 31 March to align 
reporting methods. Category 1 has alw ays been taken on 31 March of the relevant year.
Note: '-' is used because it is not possible to calculate a total for 2006/07 or 2007/08 as Category 1 figures w ere 
calculated on a different basis to Categories 2 and 3.

 
9 
 
23% in the last year and is now less than a third of the number on 31 March 
2009.  
The increase in the number of registered sexual offenders is reflected in an 
increase in the number of Category 1 offenders per 100,000 head of 
population from 92 in 2013/14 to 98 in 2014/15, continuing a trend of 
successive annual increases in this measure (Table 3). 
Table 3: Category 1 Offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) per 
100,000 population aged 10 or over 
 
The increase in the number of Category 1 (Registered Sexual Offenders) is 
influenced by sentencing trends, in which the number of people convicted of 
sexual offences is increasing. Additionally, many sexual offenders are 
required to register for long periods of time, with some registering for life. 
This has a cumulative effect on the total number of offenders required to 
register at any one time.  
The slight decrease in the number of Category 2 (Violent Offenders) may be 
a delayed effect of a fall in the number of offenders convicted of violence 
against the person offences between 2010 and 20134. However, with only 
the recent annual reduction in the number of Category 2 offenders, it is too 
early to tell the overall effect that sentencing trends are having on the long-
term trend in MAPPA numbers. 
The on-going reduction in the number of offenders managed in the 
community at Category 3 (Other Dangerous Offenders) indicates that 
agencies may be increasingly able to manage dangerous offenders in a 
multi-agency context without necessarily requiring formal MAPPA meetings. 
                                            
4 See sentencing tables for more information: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-
justice-system-statistics-quarterly-march-2015 
Year
Number of Category 1 
offenders per 100,000 of 
population aged 10 and above
2006/07
64
2007/08
66
2008/09
67
2009/10
72
2010/11
76
2011/12
81
2012/13
88
2013/14
92
2014/15
98

 
10 
 
Change in legislation on sexual offenders 
A legal challenge in 2010 and a corresponding legislative response means 
there is now a mechanism in place which will allow qualifying sex offenders 
who are subject to notification requirements for life to apply for a review of 
this requirement. This applies from 1 September 2012 for adult offenders (15 
years after the commencement of the Sex Offenders Act 1997). 
 
On 21 April 2010, in the case of R (on the application of F and Angus Aubrey 
Thompson) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] UKSC 17, 
the Supreme Court upheld an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and 
made a declaration of incompatibility under s. 4 of the Human Rights Act 
1998 in respect of notification requirements for an indefinite period under 
section 82 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. 
This has been remedied by virtue of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 
(Remedial) Order 2012 which has introduced the opportunity for offenders 
subject to indefinite notification to seek a review; this was enacted on 30th 
July 2012.  
 
Persons will not come off the register automatically. Qualifying offenders will 
be required to submit an application to the police seeking a review of their 
indefinite notification requirements. This will only be once they have 
completed a minimum period of time subject to the notification requirements 
(15 years from the point of first notification following release from custody for 
the index offence for adults and 8 years for juveniles).  
 
Those who continue to pose a significant risk will remain on the register for 
life, if necessary. In the event that an offender is subject to a Sexual 
Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) the order must be discharged under 
section 108 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 prior to an application for a 
review of their indefinite notification requirements. 
 
For more information, see the Home Office section of the gov.uk website: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-offences-act-2003-
remedial-order-2012 
 
 
 

 
11 
 
Level 2 and 3 MAPPA eligible offenders 
Under MAPPA, there are 3 levels at which offenders are managed, which 
reflect the level of multi-agency co-operation required to effectively 
implement the individual offender’s risk management plan. Levels are 
dynamic and offenders can be moved between levels if that is what the risk 
assessment and risk management plan requires. 
At Levels 2 and 3, there are regular inter-agency meetings held and so 
figures are collected on the number of offenders managed at these levels 
over the whole year as an indication of the amount of inter-agency activity 
taking place. This is in contrast to the previous section (MAPPA Eligible 
Offenders) which used the number of offenders managed at the end of 
March. Within this offenders are only counted once, with cases counted at 
the highest level at which they have been managed throughout the reporting 
period.  
Data quality improvement work has resulted in revisions to these figures in 
this bulletin for the number of Category 2 and 3 offenders managed at 
Levels 2 and 3 resulting in an increase in the numbers recorded in Category 
2 Level 2 in particular. These revisions have been backdated to 2012/13 to 
provide a short time series. Figures from 2012/13 onwards are not 
comparable with those for earlier years for Category 2 or 3. See Annex 1 for 
a full explanation of these revisions. 
Table 4: MAPPA-eligible offenders in Level 2 and Level 3 by Category 
(financial year total) 
 
These revisions continue the trend seen prior to 2012/13 of decreases in the 
number of offenders managed at Levels 2 and 3 over time. The total number 
of Level 2 and 3 offenders fell by 11% and 13% respectively between 
2013/14 and 2014/15. 
 
 
Year
Level 2
Level 3
Level 2
Level 3
Level 2
Level 3
Level 2
Level 3
2006/07
5,894
558
5,205
502
2,943
189
14,042
1,249
2007/08
5,271
507
4,057
402
2,406
163
11,734
1,072
2008/09
4,408
424
3,891
320
1,701
179
10,000
923
2009/10
3,833
362
3,499
313
1,461
168
8,793
843
2010/11
3,337
308
3,126
281
1,338
145
7,801
734
2011/12
2,956
298
2,750
242
1,233
124
6,939
664
2012/13 (r) 
2,497
257
3,431
248
1,211
139
7,139
644
2013/14 (r) 
2,238
244
3,196
248
1,237
143
6,671
635
2014/15
2,131
216
2,865
226
959
109
5,955
551
Category 1
Category 2(a)
Category 3(a)
Total
(a) Figures in Category 2 and 3 are thought to be an undercount from 2006/xx-xxxx-xxxx, so should be viewed as a reflection of the overall 
trend in the number of MAPPA offenders rather than an absolute count. These figures have been revised from 2012/13 onwards. Figures 
before and after this change are therefore not comparable. See Annex 1 for more details.

 
12 
 
Figure 2: MAPPA-eligible offenders in Level 2 and Level 3 by Category 
(financial year total) 
 
Note: dotted line indicates a break in the time series. Figures before and after this point are 
not directly comparable. 
 
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
Level
2
Level
3
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
Number  of  MAPPA-eligible  offenders
Category 3
Category 2
Category 1

 
13 
 
Breaches of notification requirements for Category 1 
Offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) 
Category 1 offenders are required to notify the police of certain details, with 
further notification required if any of those details change (sometimes 
referred to as ‘being on the sex offenders register’). A breach of this 
notification requirement can lead to a caution or conviction. 
The number of Category 1 offenders who were cautioned or convicted for 
breaches of their notification requirement was 2,070 in 2014/15. This is a 
rise of 1% from 2013/14 when there were 2,057 offenders who were 
cautioned or convicted. It is the highest level for 9 years. However, the 
increase in the number of offenders cautioned or convicted should be 
viewed in the context of increasing numbers of Category 1 offenders. 
Despite the increase in the number of offenders cautioned or convicted, the 
number of Category 1 offenders cautioned or convicted per 100 offenders 
fell from 4.5 in 2013/14 to 4.2 in 2014/15 (Table 5).  
Table 5: Category 1 offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) who were 
either cautioned or convicted for breaches of the notification 
requirement 
 
It should be noted that these figures relate to breaches of sexual offender 
registration requirements and are not recording new sexual offences.  
 
 
Year
Number of offenders 
cautioned or convicted
Total number of 
Category 1 offenders
 
Number of offenders 
cautioned or convicted 
per 100 offenders
2006/07
1,552
30,416
5.1
2007/08
1,634
31,392
5.2
2008/09
1,337
32,347
4.1
2009/10
1,518
34,939
4.3
2010/11
1,492
37,225
4.0
2011/12
1,371
40,345
3.4
2012/13
1,576
43,567
3.6
2013/14
2,057
46,102
4.5
2014/15
2,070
49,466
4.2

 
14 
 
Number of Restrictive Orders imposed 
Restrictive Orders are used to assist in managing the risks presented by an 
offender. These were introduced in the Sexual Offences Act (2003) and 
include Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPOs), Notification Orders 
(NOs) and Foreign Travel Orders (FTOs) imposed by the courts. See the 
Definitions section for further details. 
In 2014/15 the courts imposed 3,706 Sexual Offences Prevention Orders 
and 137 Notification Orders. This represents an increase of 14% and 18% 
respectively compared with 2013/14, reflecting the increased use of these 
orders by police to manage offenders in the community (Table 6). 
Table 6: Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPOs), Notification 
Orders (NOs) and Foreign Travel Orders (FTOs) imposed by the courts  
 
SOPOs account for the majority of restrictive orders and are used to impose 
prohibitions on sexual offenders who pose a risk of serious sexual harm. For 
example, a SOPO could be used to prohibit an offender from being alone 
with children under 16. The offender is automatically made subject to sexual 
offender registration and, if the order is breached, may be liable to a 
maximum of 5 years imprisonment.  
All those offenders who are subject to a SOPO will be registered sex 
offenders though not all registered sex offenders will have SOPO. The 
SOPO is specific to the offender and is tailored to manage specific risks.  
 
 
 
Year
SOPOs imposed
NOs imposed
FTOs imposed
2006/07
1,114
62
3
2007/08
1,440
70
1
2008/09
1,512
72
12
2009/10
1,862
67
15
2010/11
2,438
74
22
2011/12
2,658
92
14
2012/13
3,064
87
13
2013/14
3,243
116
11
2014/15
3,706
137
4

 
15 
 
Returns to Custody 
MAPPA Offenders who are aged 18 and over and released into the 
community following a period of imprisonment will be supervised by the 
National Probation Service, subject to a licence with conditions. If the 
offender is found to have failed to comply or breached those conditions, 
action may be taken to recall the offender back to custody. 
Figures on offenders returned to custody for breaches of licence conditions 
relate to all categories of MAPPA. Figures on offenders being sent to 
custody for breaches of a SOPO relate to Category 1 offenders (Registered 
Sexual Offenders) managed at Levels 2 and 3 only. 
In 2014/15, 684 Level 2 and Level 3 MAPPA eligible offenders were returned 
to custody for breach of their licence, a decrease of 20% from the previous 
year. This continues the overall downward trend since 2006/07 (Table 7a).  
Table 7a: Offenders managed at Level 2 and Level 3 returned to 
custody for a breach of licence  
 
As well as continuing the downward trend in numbers, the proportion of 
Level 2 and Level 3 MAPPA offenders returned to custody for a breach of 
licence decreased by 1.1 percentage points from 11.6% in 2013/14 to 10.5% 
in 2014/15.  
 
The total number of MAPPA offenders managed at Level 2 and 3 has been 
revised as per Table 4 and therefore the percent returned to custody for the 
period 2012/13 to 2014/15 is not comparable to the percentage returned to 
custody in earlier years. See Annex 1 for an explanation of this revision. 
Number Returned to Custody
Year
Level 2
Level 3
Total
2006/07
1,566
218
1,784
15,291
11.7
2007/08
1,451
208
1,659
12,806
13.0
2008/09
1,297
117
1,414
10,923
12.9
2009/10
997
119
1,116
9,636
11.6
2010/11
886
122
1,008
8,535
11.8
2011/12
786
91
877
7,603
11.5
2012/13 (r) 
803
100
903
7,783
11.6
2013/14 (r) 
762
88
850
7,306
11.6
2014/15
607
77
684
6,506
10.5
(a) Managed at Level 2 and Level 3
2012/13 and 2013/14 Numbers of MAPPA Eligible Offenders have been revised. See Annex 1 for details.
Number of 
MAPPA Eligible 
Offenders(a)
Per cent 
returned to 
Custody

 
16 
 
In 2014/15, there were 64 Level 2 and 3 Registered Sexual Offenders sent 
to custody for breach of their SOPO, a decrease of 17% from the previous 
year. This represented 2.7% of Category 1 offenders managed at these 
levels, a fall of 0.4 percentage points since 2013/14 (Table 7b). 
Table 7b: Category 1 Offenders (Registered Sexual Offenders) 
managed at Level 2 and Level 3 sent to custody for breach of SOPO 
 
 
 
Year
Level 2
Level 3
Total
2006/07
72
17
89
6,452
1.4
2007/08
76
20
96
5,778
1.7
2008/09
58
10
68
4,832
1.4
2009/10
81
8
89
4,195
2.1
2010/11
45
12
57
3,645
1.6
2011/12
65
15
80
3,254
2.5
2012/13(b)
-
-
-
-
-
2013/14(r)
66
11
77
2,482
3.1
2014/15
57
7
64
2,347
2.7
(a) Category 1 managed at Level 2 and Level 3.
(b) '-' is used w here 2012/13 figures have been removed due to quality issues identified w ith this year's data.
2013/14 figures have been revised as previous figures included all returns to custody, rather than just those for breach of SOPO.
Number of 
Category 1 
MAPPA Eligible 
Offenders(a)
Per cent 
sent to 
custody
Number Returned to Custody

 
17 
 
Serious Further Offences 
For the purposes of this bulletin, a serious further offence is an offence of 
either murder or one listed in the qualifying offences based on Schedule 15 
of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, committed by an offender under probation 
supervision, normally either subject to a court order or on supervision after 
release from a custodial sentence5.  
There were 222 MAPPA-eligible offenders (supervised by Probation) 
charged with a serious further offence (SFO), in 2014/15. This represents a 
28% rise in offenders charged with a SFO from 174 in 2013/14 (Table 8). 
This increase is almost entirely due to a 29% rise in Level 1 managed 
offenders charged with a SFO from 143 in 2013/14 to 185 in 2014/15.  
Annual increases in the number of SFOs from 2010/11 to 2013/14 were 
broadly in line with increases in the number of MAPPA-eligible offenders 
over this period. Although the number of MAPPA-eligible offenders 
continued to increase between 2013/14 and 2014/15, the rise in the number 
of SFOs outpaced the rise in the MAPPA population in this period. 
Table 8: MAPPA-eligible offenders supervised by Probation in England 
and Wales, charged with a Serious Further Offence 2006/xx-xxxx-xxxx 
 
Table 9a shows the MAPPA Category and Level for the 222 MAPPA-eligible 
offenders charged with a serious further offence during 2014/15.  
                                            
5 An offender may be charged with more than one serious further offence. 
Year
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
2006/07
..
69
13
-
2007/08
..
72
7
-
2008/09 (a)
..
40
8
-
2009/10
162
31
3
196
2010/11
108
23
3
134
2011/12
116
24
7
147
2012/13
125
18
6
149
2013/14
143
28
3
174
2014/15
185
36
1
222
(a) On 01/12/2008, Probation Circular 22/2008 introduced changes in the process for 
notification and the subsequent review  of SFOs. As a result, the figures for 2008/09 include 
cases before and after the changes and therefore are not directly comparable w ith the 
previous and subsquent year. 
Note: '..' is used to show  that these data w ere not collected at Level 1 from 2006/07 to 
2008/09 and therefore that a Total is not available, indicated by '-'.

 
18 
 
Table 9a: MAPPA-eligible offenders supervised by Probation in 
England and Wales, charged with a Serious Further Offence in 2014/15 
 
Table 9b shows the outcomes of serious further offences during 2014/15. 
Recorded outcomes for those charged are not always available within the 
reporting year and so the total number of outcomes in Table 9b will not 
equal the total charges in Table 9a. 
Table 9b: Outcomes of SFO cases in 2014/15 
 
Table 9b shows that 151 offenders were convicted of a serious further 
offence during 2014/15 and 60 offenders’ cases resulted in another 
outcome, such as acquittal or conviction of an offence which does not meet 
the SFO definition. 
A further 90 offenders remained still charged with a serious further offence 
as at the end of March 2015.  
 
Offenders charged with 
an SFO in 2014/15(a) 
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Total
Level 1
60
125
-
185
Level 2
15
12
9
36
Level 3
1
0
0
1
Total
76
137
9
222
(a) As defined in Probation Instruction 10/2011.
Note: '-' is used because Category 3 offenders are only managed at Levels 2 and 3.
Outcome:(a)
Conviction for 
SFO
Offender still 
charged with 
SFO at 31 
March 2015
Any other 
outcome(b)
Total
Category 1
Level 1
36
27
12
75
Level 2
11
3
3
17
Level 3
1
0
1
2
Category 2
Level 1
89
52
40
181
Level 2
8
5
3
16
Level 3
0
0
0
0
Category 3
Level 2
6
3
1
10
Level 3
0
0
0
0
Total
151
90
60
301
(a) As defined in Probation Instruction 10/2011.
(b) Any Other Outcomes include case dismissed and charges changed to a lesser non-SFO offence.

 
19 
 
MAPPA Serious Case Review 
It is mandatory for a MAPPA Serious Case Review to be carried out by the 
local MAPPA Strategic Management Board where a MAPPA offender 
managed at either Level 2 or 3 is charged with committing an offence of 
murder, manslaughter or rape, or attempting to commit murder or rape. A 
MAPPA Serious Case Review may also be conducted on a discretionary 
basis in other circumstances. 
In 2014/15, there were 11 MAPPA Serious Case Reviews, all for offenders 
managed at Level 2 at the time they were charged (Table 14). 
 
 

 
20 
 
Serious Further Offences by MAPPA Area 
The following section presents information on serious further offences at 
MAPPA area level, covering:  
 MAPPA eligible offenders supervised by Probation in England and 
Wales,  charged with a Serious Further Offence in 2014/15 (Table 10) 
 MAPPA eligible offenders supervised by Probation in England and 
Wales,  charged with and subsequently convicted of a Serious Further 
Offence in 2014/15 by 31 March 2015 (Table 11) 
 MAPPA eligible offenders supervised by Probation  in England and 
Wales, charged with a Serious Further Offence in 2014/15 who remained 
charged on 31 March 2015 (Table 12) 
 MAPPA eligible offenders supervised by Probation  in England and 
Wales, charged with a Serious Further Offence in 2014/15 resulting in 
any other outcome (Table 13) 
 MAPPA Serious Case Reviews resulting from Level 2 and Level 3 
offenders charged with a Serious Further Offence 2014/15 (Table 14) 
A spreadsheet containing all data at area level is published alongside this 
statistics bulletin in the Ministry of Justice section of the gov.uk website:  
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/series/multi-
agency-public-protection-arrangements-mappa-annual-reports

 
21 
 
Serious Further Offences by MAPPA Area 
Table 10: MAPPA eligible offenders supervised by Probation in 
England and Wales, charged with a Serious Further Offence in 2014/15  
 
Area
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 2 Level 3
Total 
Avon and Somerset         
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
3
Bedfordshire                   
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
Cambridgeshire               
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
Cheshire                         
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
County Durham               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cumbria                         
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Derbyshire                      
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
3
Devon and Cornwall         
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
Dorset                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Dyfed-Powys                  
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Essex                            
2
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
5
Gloucestershire               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gwent                            
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Hampshire                      
3
1
0
3
1
0
1
0
9
Hertfordshire                   
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
0
5
Humberside                    
2
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
8
Kent                               
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
6
Lancashire                      
1
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
7
Leicestershire                 
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Lincolnshire                    
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
London                           
7
4
0
32
4
0
1
0
48
Greater Manchester         
6
1
0
5
2
0
0
0
14
Merseyside                     
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
7
Norfolk                           
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
North Wales                   
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
4
North Yorkshire               
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
4
Northamptonshire            
1
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
5
Northumbria                    
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
4
Nottinghamshire              
1
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
5
South Wales                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
South Yorkshire              
3
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
6
Staffordshire                   
3
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
5
Suffolk                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Surrey                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Sussex                          
3
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
6
Teesside                        
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
3
Thames Valley                
1
4
0
0
1
0
0
0
6
Warwickshire                  
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
West Mercia                   
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
West Midlands                
3
0
0
15
0
0
0
0
18
West Yorkshire               
8
0
0
9
0
0
0
0
17
Wiltshire                         
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
4
All                                 
60
15
1
125
12
0
9
0
222
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3

 
22 
 
Table 11: MAPPA-eligible offenders supervised by Probation in 
England and Wales, charged with and subsequently convicted of a 
Serious Further Offence in 2014/15 by 31 March 2015 
Note: Includes Level 2 and Level 3 offenders who remained charged with a 
SFO on 31 March 2014. 
 
Area
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 2 Level 3
Total 
Avon and Somerset         
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
Bedfordshire                   
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
4
Cambridgeshire               
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Cheshire                         
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
County Durham               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cumbria                         
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Derbyshire                      
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
3
Devon and Cornwall         
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
Dorset                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Dyfed-Powys                  
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Essex                            
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
Gloucestershire               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gwent                            
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Hampshire                      
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
4
Hertfordshire                   
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
3
Humberside                    
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
4
Kent                               
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
Lancashire                      
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
Leicestershire                 
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Lincolnshire                    
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
London                           
2
1
0
33
3
0
0
0
39
Greater Manchester         
4
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
6
Merseyside                     
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Norfolk                           
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
North Wales                   
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
4
North Yorkshire               
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
Northamptonshire            
1
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
5
Northumbria                    
3
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
6
Nottinghamshire              
1
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
6
South Wales                   
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
3
South Yorkshire              
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
Staffordshire                   
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
Suffolk                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Surrey                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Sussex                          
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
Teesside                        
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
0
4
Thames Valley                
1
4
0
0
1
0
0
0
6
Warwickshire                  
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
West Mercia                   
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
West Midlands                
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
8
West Yorkshire               
3
0
0
9
0
0
0
0
12
Wiltshire                         
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
All                                 
36
11
1
89
8
0
6
0
151
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3

 
23 
 
Table 12: MAPPA-eligible offenders supervised by Probation in 
England and Wales, charged with a Serious Further Offence in 2014/15 
who remained charged on 31 March 2015 
Note: Includes Level 2 and Level 3 offenders who remained charged with a 
SFO on 31 March 2014. 
 
 
 
 
Area
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 2 Level 3
Total 
Avon and Somerset         
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Bedfordshire                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cambridgeshire               
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
Cheshire                         
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
County Durham               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cumbria                         
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Derbyshire                      
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Devon and Cornwall         
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Dorset                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Dyfed-Powys                  
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Essex                            
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
3
Gloucestershire               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gwent                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hampshire                      
2
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
6
Hertfordshire                   
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
Humberside                    
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
Kent                               
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
4
Lancashire                      
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
4
Leicestershire                 
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Lincolnshire                    
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
London                           
7
2
0
12
1
0
0
0
22
Greater Manchester         
3
1
0
4
2
0
0
0
10
Merseyside                     
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Norfolk                           
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
North Wales                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
North Yorkshire               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Northamptonshire            
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Northumbria                    
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
3
Nottinghamshire              
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
South Wales                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
South Yorkshire              
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
3
Staffordshire                   
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
Suffolk                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Surrey                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Sussex                          
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
4
Teesside                        
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Thames Valley                
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Warwickshire                  
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
West Mercia                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
West Midlands                
1
0
0
5
0
0
0
0
6
West Yorkshire               
2
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
6
Wiltshire                         
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
4
All                                 
27
3
0
52
5
0
3
0
90
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3

 
24 
 
Table 13: MAPPA-eligible offenders supervised by Probation in 
England and Wales, charged with a Serious Further Offence in 2014/15 
resulting in any other outcome by 31 March 2015 (e.g. charge dropped, 
acquittal, conviction for non-SFO). 
Note: Includes Level 2 and Level 3 offenders who remained charged with a 
SFO on 31 March 2014. 
 
Area
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Level 2 Level 3
Total 
Avon and Somerset         
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Bedfordshire                   
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Cambridgeshire               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cheshire                         
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
County Durham               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cumbria                         
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
Derbyshire                      
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Devon and Cornwall         
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Dorset                            
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Dyfed-Powys                  
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Essex                            
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
Gloucestershire               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gwent                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hampshire                      
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hertfordshire                   
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Humberside                    
0
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
4
Kent                               
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Lancashire                      
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Leicestershire                 
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Lincolnshire                    
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
London                           
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
0
16
Greater Manchester         
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Merseyside                     
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
6
Norfolk                           
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
North Wales                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
North Yorkshire               
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
Northamptonshire            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Northumbria                    
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
Nottinghamshire              
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
South Wales                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
South Yorkshire              
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Staffordshire                   
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Suffolk                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Surrey                            
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Sussex                          
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Teesside                        
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Thames Valley                
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Warwickshire                  
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
West Mercia                   
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
West Midlands                
2
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
10
West Yorkshire               
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
Wiltshire                         
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
All                                 
12
3
1
40
3
0
1
0
60
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3

 
25 
 
Table 14: MAPPA Serious Case Reviews resulting from Level 2 and 
Level 3 offenders charged with a Serious Further Offence 2014/15 
 
Area 
Level 2
Level 3 
Total
Avon and Somerset            
0
0
0
Bedfordshire                      
0
0
0
Cambridgeshire                  
1
0
1
Cheshire                           
0
0
0
County Durham                  
0
0
0
Cumbria                            
0
0
0
Derbyshire                         
0
0
0
Devon and Cornwall            
0
0
0
Dorset                               
0
0
0
Dyfed-Powys                     
0
0
0
Essex                               
0
0
0
Gloucestershire                 
0
0
0
Gwent                               
1
0
1
Hampshire                         
1
0
1
Hertfordshire                      
0
0
0
Humberside                       
0
0
0
Kent                                 
0
0
0
Lancashire                        
0
0
0
Leicestershire                    
0
0
0
Lincolnshire                       
0
0
0
London                              
2
0
2
Greater Manchester           
2
0
2
Merseyside                       
0
0
0
Norfolk                              
0
0
0
North Wales                      
0
0
0
North Yorkshire                  
0
0
0
Northamptonshire               
0
0
0
Northumbria                       
0
0
0
Nottinghamshire                 
0
0
0
South Wales                     
0
0
0
South Yorkshire                 
1
0
1
Staffordshire                      
0
0
0
Suffolk                              
0
0
0
Surrey                               
0
0
0
Sussex                             
1
0
1
Teesside                           
0
0
0
Thames Valley                   
2
0
2
Warwickshire                     
0
0
0
West Mercia                      
0
0
0
West Midlands                  
0
0
0
West Yorkshire                  
0
0
0
Wiltshire                           
0
0
0
All                                   
11
0
11

 
26 
 
Annex 1 – Revision to Table 4: Trends in MAPPA-
eligible offenders in Level 2 and Level 3 by category 
(yearly total) 
 
As a result of data quality checks carried out in the production of this 
publication, an error was identified in the data supplied for Table 4: Trends 
in MAPPA-eligible offenders in Level 2 and Level 3 by category (yearly total) 
that affected this and previous years’ data.  
The annual data request sent to MAPPA areas asks for the total number of 
MAPPA offenders managed at Level 2 or 3 throughout the year and for 
those offenders managed at more than one level, for them to be counted at 
the highest level at which they were managed in the year.  
Data provided by one MAPPA area calculated this figure by taking the 
number of offenders at each level on 31 March of the relevant year and 
adding to this any who ended MAPPA management during the year. This 
meant that offenders were recorded at the level they were on 31 March or 
the level they had been when MAPPA management ended and were 
therefore effectively counted at the most recent level that they had been 
managed during the year. As offenders will tend to be moved to lower levels 
over the course of management, this resulted in the figures in this table 
showing an undercount of offenders managed at Levels 2 and 3. Correct 
data have been sourced back to 2012/13 and Table 4 revised with these 
figures from 2012/13 onwards. Table 4 now shows these revised figures 
with a break in the time series. 
This error had no effect on the number of Category 1 Level 2 and Level 3 
offenders. It also had a limited effect on Category 3 offenders as the main 
effect was to count offenders at a lower level and there is no Level 1 in this 
category for them to be incorrectly counted as. 
The main effect was on the number of Category 2 Level 2 and Level 3 
offenders which were undercounted prior to the revisions being made. The 
table below shows the numbers in Table 4 for 2014/15 using the old and 
new methods to indicate the difference between them. 
 
Figure 3 shows the impact on the long-term trend in the number of offenders 
managed at Category 2 Level 2 where the impact was greatest. As this 
undercount was consistent over time, the effect is a step-change in 2012/13 
with a continuation of the previous trend after this. 
 
 
Level 2
Level 3
Level 2
Level 3
Level 2
Level 3
Level 2
Level 3
2014/15 (old method)
2,131
216
2,366
191
958
109
5,455
516
2014/15 (new method)
2,131
216
2,865
226
959
109
5,955
551
Difference
-
-
21% ↑
18% ↑
<1% ↑
-
9% ↑
7% ↑
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Total

 
27 
 
Figure 3: Number of MAPPA Category 2 Level 2 offenders under old 
and new counting method (financial year total) 
 
 
Additional data quality checks were carried out to assess whether this error 
was present in data supplied by other MAPPA areas and the methods were 
reviewed by a selection of areas with figures that suggested a possible 
undercount. None of these areas used the incorrect counting method 
identified. 
 
These revisions have also resulted in a break in the time series for Table 7a: 
Offenders managed at Level 2 and Level 3 returned to custody for a breach 
of licence.  
 
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Number of MAPPA Category 2, Level 2 offenders
(yearly total)
Old method
New method

 
28 
 
Data sources, quality and revisions 
The data presented in this brief are drawn from MAPPA areas’ local 
administrative IT systems. The data are submitted by areas at summary 
rather than individual level so detail on specific offenders and any 
subsequent focus on individuals is not possible from this dataset. 
 
Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail 
collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording 
system. 
 
The data are collected for a financial year and are submitted on an annual 
basis. During the data collection process, areas may identify the need to 
correct or amend the previous year’s data. If required, these are made in the 
following year’s report. A footnote on the relevant table will indicate the scale 
of the revision. 
 
Explanatory notes 
Unless otherwise stated, the yearly totals refer to the period between 1 April 
of a given year and 31 March the following year. 
Symbols and conventions 
The following symbols have been used throughout the tables in this bulletin:  
-   
= Not applicable 
0  
= Nil 
..  
= Not available 
(r)  
= Revised data 
(p)  
= Provisional data 
══  
= Discontinuity in the series 
 
 
 

 
29 
 
Definitions 
Breach of licence – Since 1 June 2014, offenders who are aged 18 and 
over and released into the community following a period of imprisonment will 
be supervised by either the National Probation Service or a Community 
Rehabilitation Company, subject to a licence with conditions. If the offender 
is found to have failed to comply or breached those conditions, action may 
be taken to recall the offender back to custody. 
Foreign Travel Orders – A restrictive order that may be applied to prevent 
offenders with convictions for sexual offences against children from travelling 
abroad, where this is considered necessary to protect children from the risk 
of sexual harm. Police may apply to the court for these Orders. The Order is 
granted by the Court on application from the Police. 
MAPPA-eligible offenders – Offenders defined in law as eligible for 
MAPPA management, because they have committed specified sexual and 
violent offences, or have been assessed as presenting a serious risk of harm 
to the public. 
MAPPA Serious Case Review (MAPPA SCR) – It is mandatory for a 
MAPPA SCR to be carried out by the local MAPPA Strategic Management 
Board where a MAPPA offender managed at either Level 2 or 3 is charged 
with committing an offence of murder, manslaughter or rape, or attempting to 
commit murder or rape. 
MAPPA SCRs may also be conducted on a discretionary basis in the 
following circumstances:  
 where a MAPPA offender managed at Level 1 is charged with 
committing an offence of murder, manslaughter or rape, or attempting 
to commit murder or rape; or 
 where a MAPPA offender managed at any level is charged with one 
of the serious offences listed in Probation Instruction 15/20146; or 
 where it is assessed that it would be in the public interest to 
undertake a review.  
The purpose of the review is to examine the activity of the agencies involved 
in the management of the offender and whether MAPPA guidance and 
policies were followed appropriately.  
The MAPPA SCR should identify whether there are lessons to be learned 
from the way in which the case was managed and how they will be acted 
                                            
6 Probation Instruction 15/2014 supersedes Probation Instruction 10/2011 and Probation 
Circular 22/2008. See www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/probation/probation-instructions  

 
30 
 
upon. A MAPPA SCR and Probation SFO review (see below) may be 
conducted simultaneously. 
Notification Order – A restrictive order which requires sexual offenders who 
have been convicted of a sexual offence overseas to register with the UK 
police, in order to protect the public in the UK from any risk that they pose. 
Police may apply to the court for the order in relation to offenders living in, or 
intending to come to, the UK. 
Restrictive Orders – Orders used to assist in managing the risks presented 
by an offender. These were introduced in the Sexual Offences Act (2003) 
and include Notification Orders, Sexual Offences Prevention Orders and 
Foreign Travel Orders (see individual definitions).  
Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) – A restrictive order that may 
be made by a Court at the time that an offender convicted of a sexual 
offence is sentenced, or may be applied by the Court following an 
application by the police. The length of term that the SOPO may apply for is 
variable: the minimum term is 5 years; however, a SOPO may be imposed 
for the remainder of the offender’s life. A SOPO will require the subject to 
register with the Police as a sexual offender and can include conditions, for 
example, to prevent the offender loitering near schools or playgrounds. If the 
offender fails to comply with the requirements of the order, he or she can be 
taken back to court and may be liable to up to 5 years’ imprisonment. 
Serious Further Offence (SFO) – For the purposes of this Bulletin, an 
offender under probation supervision, normally either subject to a court order 
or on supervision after release from a custodial sentence, who is charged 
with a serious sexual or violent offence will be considered to have committed 
an SFO if his or her offence is either murder or listed in the qualifying 
offences based on Schedule 15 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (this was 
originally based on those offences in the Schedule which carried maxima of 
14 years and Life, but as of 1 December 2008 it excludes s.18 wounding 
with intent.) 
Probation Serious Further Offence (SFO) Review Process – A 
mandatory SFO Review will be conducted where an offender under 
probation supervision or within 28 days of completing supervision is charged 
with an offence in the following circumstances: 
 The offender is charged with perpetrating or attempting to carry out 
one of the most serious offences, i.e. murder, manslaughter, or 
another offence causing death, rape, or a sexual offence against a 
child under 13 (including attempted offences).  
 The offender is charged with another offence in Schedule 15 to the 
Criminal Justice Act 2003, except Section 18 assault, and his or her 
risk of serious harm has been assessed as high or very high during 
the current sentence, or he or she has not been subject to a risk 
assessment during the current sentence. 

 
31 
 
A discretionary SFO Review may be carried out where: 
 The offender is charged with an offence outside the above eligibility 
criteria, but it is decided by the National Offender Management 
Service (NOMS) and Probation that it may be in the public interest to 
complete a notification and subsequent review. This would apply 
regardless of whether the offence was on the SFO qualifying list or 
not. 
A MAPPA SCR and Probation Serious Further Offence review may be 
conducted simultaneously. 
 
 

 
32 
 
Contact points for further information 
Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office:  
 
Tel: xx-xxxx-xxxx  
Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to:  
 
Phil Hall 
Offender Management and Public Protection Group  
National Offender Management Service 
8th Floor 
102 Petty France 
London 
SW1H 9AJ 
 
General enquiries about the statistical work of the Ministry of Justice can be 
e-mailed to: xxx@xxx.xx 
 
General information about the official statistics system of the UK is available 
from www.statistics.gov.uk 
 
 

 
33 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Crown copyright 2015 
 
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government 
Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit 
nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to 
the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 
4DU, or email: xxx@xxx.xx.