Subjects:

Criminology

Contents:

Foreword by Mr David Scott, Chief Officer National Probation Service (London)

Introduction

1 Trying to understand dangerousness

2 Sex offenders and sexual crime

3 Behaviour causing concern

4 Dangerous severe personality disorder and psychopathy

5 A look into the future - predicting the risk of serious harm

6 Legislating against the dangerous offender

7 Legislating for constraint - tightening controls in the community

8 Working together - many minds, one voice?

9 Managing risk in the community

10 Dangerous offender versus the people - what hope for offender rights?

11 Conclusion - where next for public protection?

Concluding thoughts

Appendix 1 - Glossary of terms

Appendix 2 - List of relevant legislative developments in public protection

Appendix 3 - List of recent relevant probation circulars

Appendix 4 - A synopsis of MAPPA guidance

Appendix 5 - A worked example of risk management (source: MAPPA Guidance Home Office 2004)

This book is a practical and theoretical analysis of public protection and criminal justice. This area has seen immense change in recent years and the book examines the recent legislative, policy and organisational changes and their impact on the various agencies involved, including the police service and the probation service.

Public protection has now assumed a position of dominance within the criminal justice agenda. New ways of working have necessitated changes to organisational culture, which in turn has begun to blur traditional criminal justice boundaries. Agencies must now work together by law and the public protection 'family' has extended to include a range of agencies, such as housing and leisure services.

This book explores the problematic concept of 'dangerousness' and its application to criminal justice. All recent policy and legislative initiatives are examined within a critical context that questions the need for populist, punitive agendas, for example the creation of MAPPA (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Panels) and changes in relation to the National Probation Service. Recent relevant legislative references are collated in a useful appendix at the back of the book.

The book is a practical and useful reference, ideal reading for students and academics working critically in the area who wish to understand how public protection has reached its present status. It is also a useful reference for probation officers, police officers and policy makers.

• Explores the growth of the public protection agenda and its impact on criminal justice practice
• Provides a critical evaluation of the area and looks at the wider context outside the framework set by policies
• Balances practical and theoretical considerations, including useful case studies
• Covers the changing perceptions of 'dangerousness' and its effect on criminal justice practice
• Includes a handy appendix which collates all relevant legislative and Home Office Circular references
• Examines topical issues such as hate crimes, sex offender orders, internet crime and domestic violence