The number of registered sex offenders living in Tayside has increased.
New figures released by Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) which is responsible for the assessment and management of potentially dangerous offenders show that at the end of March there were 327 registered sex offenders in Tayside. That was up by 33 on the previous year.
Of this number, over 96% complied with their registration requirements for living in the community with the vast majority assessed as posing a low or medium risk of harm.
In its annual report due to go before the Tayside Community Justice Authority, which sits in Forfar later this month, MAPPA states: ”Sexual offenders reside within every community and although reconviction rates are, thankfully, low it is recognised that the public are concerned about the risks presented by these offenders.
”The public plays an important role in public protection and can help protect vulnerable members of their communities by contacting the agencies about the concerns they may have in relation to concerning behaviour.”
Other findings set out in the report reveal that 61% of the offenders were convicted of an offence against a child under 16 years.
The Keeping Children Safe pilot, introduced by Tayside Police in 2009, has allowed parents, carers or guardians to ask if people who have access to their children are registered sex offenders or pose a risk to a child.
As at the end of March the scheme had received 43 applications which, following extensive inquiries into each, resulted in seven disclosures of information to protect children.
Authorities say that MAPPA was introduced across Scotland in 2007 to create a consistent approach to the management of offenders. It involves the police, local authorities, Scottish Prison Service, health and other partners.
Tayside Police say that where an offender is assessed as presenting an increased risk to individuals or to the wider community then additional measures can be put in place, such as increased supervision or an application for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
SOPOs can help prevent reoffending by placing a number of prohibitions or conditions on the sex offender. A breach of any of these prohibitions carries a maximum penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment.