Sex offenders' lived experiences of institutional life: A case study of a probation hostel

This paper reports on the observations of a combined level 2 and 3 Multi-Agency Risk
Assessment Committees (MARAC) over a 12 month period. It considers agency representation and
discusses this in respect to attendance and the nature of relationships between representatives. The
key findings are structured around the experiences of three identifiable groups of panel members
and leads to a discussion of how the status of agencies and the informal roles adopted by the
different members are defined by power relationships based on possession of knowledge. These
relationships reflect cultural traditions in working with high risk offenders, but are also shaped by
statutory responsibilities placed on different agencies within the MARAC forum.