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Preventing deaths and serious injury for sexual offence detainees

Detention and custody — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

This topic provides operational advice for preventing suicide and managing risk for individuals detained for sexual offences, particularly focusing on those relating to child sexual exploitation and indecent images of children. Key documents provide guidance on best practices and risk assessments pertinent to the care of these detainees while in custody. It emphasizes the importance of proactive measures and risk management strategies to mitigate the risk of self-harm or death in custody scenarios involving sexual offence detainees. The guidance aims to ensure that officers are well-informed and equipped to manage the unique risks presented in these situations effectively.

Key principles

  • 1Risk assessment is crucial for detainees held for sexual offences.
  • 2Proactive measures should be taken to prevent suicide and serious injury.
  • 3Care protocols must adhere to established guidelines specific to sexual offence detainees.
  • 4Documentation and knowledge sharing are essential for effective risk management.

Defined terms

IIOC
Indecent Images of Children

Full guidance

Arrest and detention, use of force, detainee care, including children and young persons, risk assessment and buildings and facilities

This page is from APP, the official source of professional practice for policing.

Operational advice for preventing suicide and managing risk for those held for sexual offences can be found in the following documents:

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Reproduced from the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as captured on 2026-06-27. APP is amended over time — check the source link below for the current version. This is a reference, not operational authorisation.

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Source: College of Policing — Authorised Professional Practice · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-27.