The Review of Criminality Information by Sir Ian Magee

Following an inquiry in 2007 into the handling of notifications by other European countries of criminal convictions for UK citizens, Sir Ian Magee was asked to examine and recommend necessary improvements for recording and sharing information about criminality within the UK and between the UK and other countries in the interests of public protection.

The definition of public protection used in the review is ‘the safeguarding from harm of our communities and individuals within them’. The definition of criminality information is ‘any information which is, or may be, relevant to the prevention, investigation, prosecution, or penalising of crime’.

Strategic direction

The Review considers the many organisations involved in protecting the public as belonging to a network, with a need for common understanding, a common approach to sharing information and an agreed agenda for improvement. The present picture, however, shows that there are many UK organisations within the network acting independently.

Developing a strategic approach requires improved cooperation between these interlinked, but independent activities. All those involved in managing elements of the public protection network (PPN) must also understand the full network and their position in it. The Review is clear that the benefits of cooperation can vastly outweigh the associated costs.

Recommendations on strategic direction

By January 2009, the Government should agree, across departments:

• A strategic direction for the improvement of criminality information management across the PPN.
• Prioritised immediate objectives for improvement.
• The embedding in relevant departments’ goals and objectives of the principles of the review.

Governance and delivery

If criminality information is to be shared more effectively in the interests of public protection there must be a governance framework which will satisfy the public that proper safeguards are in place and that accountability is clear.

In recommending a strategic approach to information management and oversight across the PPN, the review identified four principles:

• Adhere to all existing governance around information management in particular: Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• Collaborate only where the total benefits to public protection of coordination exceed the total costs.
• Maintain delegated authorities wherever possible to allow delivery units to own core processes and thereby deliver agile responses to criminal activity.
• Institutionalise key aspects of the PPN only as needed to deliver clarity and value to PPN participants.

Recommendations on governance and delivery

• The action to deliver specific parts of this agenda should be led by the agencies concerned (NPIA, ACPO, UKBA, Prison Service, etc), with support from a central implementation team located in the Home Office. This unit should be substantially in place by September 2008.
• The work of agencies and the implementation team should be governed by the Home Secretary-chaired Ministerial Group, with external advice from a Commission for Public Protection Information.
• The Review recognises that there are several parallel initiatives underway and governance regimes in place, (the most notable being the Bichard Implementation team). Therefore, the report suggests that senior Home Office management consider consolidations as they set up implementation of the Criminality Information Review.

Leadership and culture

The Review found that there is currently a presumption not to share criminality information (in some cases for fear of criminal penalties) and a lack of understanding from those entering data about its fundamental purpose (public protection). Decisions about when it is appropriate and proportiona