Public Protection Arrangements in Northern Ireland

Public Protection Arrangements for Northern Ireland (PPANI)

• PPANI is a set of arrangements, not an organisation, implemented by the Criminal Justice Order (NI) 2008
• Core agencies involved in PPANI:
  • Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
  • Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI)
  • Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS)
  • Health & Social Care Trusts (HSCTs)
  • Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE)
• Other agencies involved:
  • Youth Justice Agency
  • Department of Education
  • Department for Employment & Learning
  • Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety
  • Department for Communities
  • NSPCC
• The purpose of PPANI is to protect the public from serious harm by managing risks associated with sexual and violent offenders.
• Agencies work together to assess and manage risk, implementing risk management plans when necessary
• Offenders are managed in accordance with the statutory responsibilities of relevant agencies.
• Multi-agency management is implemented for specific offenders through Local Area Public Protection Panels (LAPPPs)

Criteria for Inclusion in PPANI

• The following individuals are included in the PPANI system:
  • Persons subject to notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003
  • Persons convicted of a violent offence (including homicide) against a child or vulnerable adult since 6.10.2008
  • Persons convicted of a violent offence (including homicide) in domestic or family circumstances since 1.4.2010
  • Persons convicted of a violent offence (including homicide) aggravated by hostility and receiving an enhanced sentence since 1.9.2011
  • Persons subject to a Risk of Sexual Harm Order (RSHO) and associated notification requirements
• Referrals can also be made for individuals with prior convictions for eligible offences pre-dating PPANI if there are current significant concerns.

Referral Process

• All referrals must be made using the PPANI Referral Form and submitted to the PSNI PPANI Links Team.
• Automatic notification for registered sex offenders is received through ViSOR Management Unit.
• For offenders serving custodial sentences, a referral form is required three months prior to their earliest release date.
• The PSNI Investigating Officer is responsible for submitting referral forms for violent offenders.
• The PPANI Links Team assesses referrals for compliance with the criteria.

Referral Form Completion

• The Referral Form must be fully completed and contain evidence supporting the criteria for inclusion.
• Evidence must be provided within the form demonstrating how the case meets the criteria, including serious harm and current significant concerns.
• Referrers should contact the PPANI Links Team prior to submitting a referral to check if a previous referral exists, and should liaise with other agencies for additional information.
• All referrals are potentially disclosable, including in a court of law.

Referral Dispute Resolution

• If a referral agency disagrees with the PPANI Links Team about a referral's eligibility, the following process applies:
  • Line manager of the referrer contacts the PPANI Links Team Executive Officer.
  • If resolution is not achieved, the referrer contacts the PPANI Coordinator and requests a referral meeting.
  • Additional information can be forwarded to the PPANI Links Team prior to the meeting.
  • The referral meeting is chaired by the PPANI Coordinator with all information presented.
  • The PPANI Coordinator makes the final decision on the referral's appropriateness.

Local Area Public Protection Panels (LAPPPs)

• Upon acceptance of a referral, the offender's case is discussed at a LAPPP.
• LAPPPs are multi-agency forums responsible for the operational delivery of PPANI.
• Following risk assessment, offenders are categorized:
  • Category 1: No requirement for multi-agency intervention; minimal risk.
  • Category 2: Requirement for multi-agency intervention; reviewed every 16 weeks; clear evidence of potential harm.
  • Category 3: Requirement for intense and focused multi-agency intervention reviewed every 16 weeks; high likelihood of causing serious harm.

Guidance Notes for Completing a PPANI Referral Form

• Referrers should attempt to source all relevant information.
• The PPANI Index Offence refers to the qualifying offence that brought the offender into PPANI.
• The PPANI Index Offence remains the qualifying offence even if further convictions for PPANI-eligible offences occur.
• For prison-based practitioners, the qualifying PPANI Index Offence may not be the same as the offence related to the offender's current custodial sentence.
• Referrers should provide a clear and concise summary of the offender's PPANI-eligible Index Offence.
• Referrers should provide a summary of relevant victim concerns, including their contact details.
• Referrers should provide details of any safeguarding referrals, including child protection and vulnerable adult concerns.
• Referrers should confirm if the victim has been subject to MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference).

This quiz explores the Public Protection Arrangements for Northern Ireland (PPANI), a vital framework established under the Criminal Justice Order (NI) 2008. It covers the various core and other agencies involved, their roles, and the purpose of PPANI in managing risks from sexual and violent offenders. Test your knowledge of how these collaborations aim to protect the public.