Anatomy of Serious Further Offending

• The first text to offer a review of major inquiries in the context of serious further offending
• Draws out and examines the lessons to be learned from organisational and individual failure
• Analyses a topical subject area relevant to a wide variety of agencies - including police, probation, prisons, mental health, social services and housing services
• Provides an outline of the constitution and culture of inquiries and the development of the multi-agency approach

Further serious offences committed by those released early from custody is the subject of intense media scrutiny . This accessible text examines the subject of further serious offending through the medium of major inquiries, inspections and reports. Inquiries discussed include the Clunis Inquiry, the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry, the Marchioness Inquiry and the Anthony Rice Inquiry.

This book explores the extent to which recommendations are implemented and their impact on the development of public protection policy. Reviewing all the major inquiries relating to further serious offending, the authors highlight commonalities that emerge from these reports, such as the nature of the offence and the type of response, as well as organisational and individual failures. By identifying similarities and themes across a range of agencies, the authors explore the nature of organisational and personal failure and blame. Whilst most responses to further serious offending are organisationally based, they rarely refer to personal failings on the part of agency workers. This title does both, whilst providing an outline of the constitution and culture of inquiries and the development of the multi-agency approach.

This book also argues that the public protection edifice is built upon perceptions of danger which rarely reflect the true nature of dangerous behaviour. The authors propose that many inquiries refer to incidents that do not meet the stereotypical profile of a dangerous predator; subsequently the construction of dangerousness is re-examined in the light of Inquiry findings and recommendations. 

This title is a thought-provoking and topical book of great interest to probation practitioners and students alike.

Readership: The primary market consists of probation officers, probation and police trainers, and police officers working with the probation service. The title is also of interest to students taking foundation degrees in Police Studies, Risk Management and Public Protection courses, and probation students reading for the Diploma in Probation Studies. There is a secondary market among social workers, child protection and mental health professionals, youth justice workers and community safety workers.