National Accommodation Strategy for Sex Offenders: guidance on environmental risk assessments

5.0 Minimum Data Standards

5.1 Partner Agency Involvement

5.2 Database Checks

These checks are recommended. Not all these databases will need to be checked in every case but will be dependent on the offender and the property being considered. Which agency carries out the checks will depend on access to systems and agreement locally.

5.3 Physical Checks

Once a potential property has been identified for an offender, a physical check must be carried out to identify any potential risk to the community and to the offender. Any concerns must be documented in ViSOR and any other relevant internal management systems. The checks undertaken should take account of any risks that are identified and the specific victim profile. Checks should include the following:

Play Parks
Community Centres
Churches
Shops
Schools/Nurseries
Sheltered housing developments
CCTV Location
Licensed Premises
Children’s toys / equipment within gardens
Children’s window dressings
Any other significant evidence of a person fitting the victim profile

The majority of cases will be completed by Police Offender Management Unit in collaboration with Local Community Policing. These checks can be carried out by the best placed agency depending on the offender.

5.4 Minimum Parameters

When completing an Environmental Risk Assessment ( ERA), the minimum requirement of the properties that should be included as part of the assessment are as follows:

• For multi-story properties; all the properties on the same floor as the address being reviewed.
• For tenement properties; all properties within the same tenement close as the address being reviewed.
• For shared accommodation – all occupants must be checked

• For cottage flats, semi-detached & detached properties; this will be determined on a case by case basis but should include all adjacent properties and may include properties where the garden boundaries border each other.

Depending on the risk the offender poses and taking account of the physical checks the RAs will need to consider on a case by case basis whether the parameters need to be extended beyond the minimum requirement.

5.5 Victims

As highlighted in the MAPPA guidance the RAs must satisfy themselves that they have thoroughly considered the potential risks to which any victim of the offender may be exposed and put in place appropriate robust plans to minimise the likelihood of the offender causing further serious harm. By adhering to these minimum practice guidelines when completing an ERA the RAs will minimise the likelihood of an offender being accommodated within the same neighbourhood locality as a victim.

5.6 Completion of ERA

Before proceeding with an allocation of a property or the annual review process individual agencies are required to sign off their agreement of the ERA. The lead agency will sign off the final decision. The lead agency in each case must thoroughly consider the views and comments provided by all agencies throughout the ERA process, take cognizance of any concerns raised, and fully document their conclusion and reasons for the decisions they have made. On occasions where there is disagreement, a meeting, if required will be called by the RAs and a decision will be reached.