Scottish Government

Analysis of External Consultation on, and the Scottish Executive's response to, 'Reducing the Risk: Improving the Response to Sex Offending', the report of the Expert Panel on Sex Offending

INTRODUCTION

1. This report analyses the responses to a consultation on the report 'Reducing the Risk: Improving the Response to Sex Offending' by the Expert Panel on Sex Offending. It also sets out the Executive's response to the Expert Panel's report.
2. The Expert Panel was established in 1998 under the Chairmanship of the Honourable Lady Cosgrove following the recommendations in the report 'A Commitment to Protect: Supervising Sex Offenders: Proposals for More Effective Practice', by the Chief Inspector of Social Work. The Chief Inspector's report provided an overview of the arrangements for sex offenders in the community and a broad assessment of their strengths and weaknesses together with recommendations for improvements.
3. The Panel's membership was drawn from a variety of organisations which have dealings with sex offenders. Individual members brought with them expertise from a wide range of disciplines including the judiciary, the prosecution service, the police, the prison service, social work and health, children's and psychological services. A full list of the membership is given at annex a.
4. The remit of the panel was to:

• Take forward work on the recommendations of the report 'A Commitment to Protect' as directed by the Chairman of the Panel;
• Advise the Secretary of State on any other relevant issues relating to sex offenders;
• Provide, for the Secretary of State, an annual summary of our past and planned future work.

1. The Panel's final report 'Reducing the Risk: Improving the Response to Sex Offending', was divided into the following six thematic areas:

The recommendations made by the Expert Panel fell into one of these six areas.

1. The consultation period ended on 4 September 2001. We consulted over 400 external organisations. A total of 58 external responses were received. A full list of responses is given at annex b. In addition there was an internal consultation which included the Scottish Court Service (SCS), the Crown Office and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). The table below shows the agencies which responded to the external consultation:

2. External Consultation: Type of organisation	Number	% of total
   Social Work, Medical and Mental Health	9	16
   Local Authorities	25	43
   Legal	4	7
   Police	1	2
   Voluntary	5	9
   Housing	2	3
   Education/Teaching unions	2	3
   Panel members/sub-groups	2	3
   General (other)	8	14
   Total	58	100

   The level of responses received from external organisations was disappointingly low.

   Steering Group

3. Many of the recommendations in the Expert Panel's report require a range of organisations from diverse sectors to work together. The report supports the preparation of protocols, guidance and strategies across agencies to underpin improvements in working practices and the promotion of inter-agency training to improve information exchange between them. The Executive will set up a high level steeringgroup which will bring together the key agencies needed to take forward the recommendations that require joined-up working.

4. The Victims of Sex Offending

5. Many consultees were concerned about victims, and suggested that the recommendations did not consider the victims of sex offenders. The report however was concerned with reducing the risk and therefore did not deal with this matter. This is an important matter and one which we will return to in the context of taking forward the Victims' strategy.