Risk Management Authority (Scotland)


The Risk Management Authority is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government with responsibility for assessing and managing the risks posed by certain serious violent and sexual offenders in Scotland. The Authority was established in 2005 by the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
The Authority is required to assess the risk posed by serious offenders at sentencing when the High Court of Justiciary will issue a Risk Assessment Order, and will provide a Risk Assessment Report to the High Court. The judge may then issue an Order for Lifelong Restriction, at which point the authority will have to draw up a Risk Management Plan for the offender.
The Authority is based in Paisley.

History

Remit and jurisdiction

The Authority is to be the recognised expert authority on risk assessment and risk management and will:
An Order for Lifelong Restriction is a sentence that can be imposed by a judge of the High Court of Justiciary on serious violent and sexual offenders in Scotland. The power to issue Orders for Lifelong Restriction was implemented by the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Such an Order is an indeterminate sentence will see the convict subject to imprisonment and supervision by electronic tagging for the rest of their lives.
An offender will only be released on licence where it is determined that the risks posed to the community can be correctly and safely managed. The Risk Management Authority is central to the assessment and management of offenders subject to Orders for Lifelong Restriction.