Response 512258078

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Questions on strengthening the voice of victims in the parole process

1. Do you think victims and their families should have a greater voice in the parole process?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what more could be done to help victims and their families be heard? If No, why not?
Many convicted criminals are considered for parole towards the end of the custodial part of their sentence. Many years may have passed since the beginning of the sentence and, in time, the impact on the victims and their families of the crime can be forgotten. At the least, a written victim impact statement should be allowed to be submitted to the Parole Board. Consideration should also be given to victims having the opportunity to address the Parole Board in person and have their opinion heard on the suitability of the prisoner for parole.

2. Do you think victims and their families should be entitled to attend parole hearings in person?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what wider considerations would be necessary to manage this process, what support should be available and who should be responsible for providing that support? If No, why not?
If victims or their families wish to attend parole hearings this should be allowed. A suitably trained member of Staff from the Victims Taskforce would be appropriate to manage this and provide support to the victim and families.

3. Do you think there should be clear criteria on the kinds of information the Parole Board should consider in relation to the safety and welfare of victims and their families?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, in your view what should that criteria be? If No, why not?
The fear that the perpetrator of a crime will be released and therefore free to come after the victim never goes away. The Board should carefully consider the impact of prisoner release will have on the victim and family.

4. Do you think more could be done to strengthen the Parole Board’s current use of licence conditions (including conditions to exclude individuals from certain areas, or from certain individuals)?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what would the implications be of extending this and how could this be managed in the community? If No, why not?
Robust and clear conditions should be imposed and monitoring of the perpetrator’s compliance to these conditions should be robust.

5. Do you think that victims and their families should receive information on the reasons for the Parole Board’s decisions in their case?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what kind of information would be most helpful and how should that be provided? If No, why not?
Absolutely. The victim and family should be entitled to full disclosure of all hearings. The prisoner often knows a lot about the victim and the balance needs to be redressed in the interests and welfare of the victims and families.

Questions on ensuring transparency

6. Should others be routinely entitled to attend parole hearings?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, who should be able to attend, in what circumstances and for what part of the proceedings? If No, why not?
If you mean the general public then I do not think that is appropriate. Only those directly involved with the case and who are directly impacted by the outcome of a Board decision should be allowed to attend and to contribute.

7. Should information be routinely shared with others?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what level of information should be shared or what more could be done? If No, why not?
I think a transcript of the proceedings should be put in the public domain after the case has been completed. At present, I believe the Parole Board proceedings are not transparent and are perceived by the public as secretive, elitist. The public do not have confidence in Parole Boards at present and I believe full transparency will improve their credibility.

8. Do you feel that some information regarding parole decisions should be published proactively?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what level of information do you feel should be published? If No, why not?
When a prisoner is being considered for parole, the victim and families should be informed of all intended proceedings and be kept fully informed as proceedings develop.

9. Do you think the work of the Parole Board is sufficiently visible?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, why do you think that? If No, what more could be done?
See answer 7

Questions on Improving Support for Decision Making

10. Do you think that consideration should be given to widening the information available to the Parole Board by establishing a function to investigate and collate information from other bodies?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, who should provide that function and in what circumstances? If No, what other options are there to improve information gathering?
I find it surprising if this is not the case already. All relevant agencies should be consulted to enable the Parole Board to reach their conclusions having been fully informed with the relevant information .

Questions on information for prisoners on the parole process

11. Do you think that prisoners currently receive the information they need to enable them to participate in the parole process?

If Yes, why do you think that? If No, what information or help do you consider should be provided to help prisoners understand the parole process and their licence conditions?
I don’t know

12. Do you think that more could be done to make sure that prisoners understand their licence conditions and the consequences of breaching them?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what do consider is the best approach to ensure prisoners understand the terms of their licence and who is best placed to provide information? If No, why not?
Written information supported by verbal reinforcement by a suitably trained individual.
Possibly a Parole Officer who has been assigned to assist the prisoner through the parole process.

Questions on supervision, review and recall

13. Is there a requirement for an additional review process (at least initially)?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, who should carry out that review and what would you see as the advantages or disadvantages of an additional review? If No, why not?
If the prisoner is released on parole, consistent and robust supervision should be in place to reassure the victim and family. Any mechanism which supports this would be appropriate. The prisoner’s assigned Parole Officer might be best placed to do the review.

14. In relation to revocation of licence and recall to custody. Do you consider social workers should be able to refer directly to the Parole Board?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what are the implications of this change and how could this be managed? If No, why not?
Any agency who has cause to be concerned enough to consider a prisoner my require a revocation of licence should have the power to directly refer.

Questions on independence and governance

15. Do you agree that a transfer to the Scottish Tribunals would enhance the independence of the Parole Board?

If Yes, what do you consider the advantages and disadvantages would be with such a transfer? If No, Why not?
I don’t know

16. A review and appeal are available in the Scottish Tribunals. Do you consider these processes should be available for the Parole Board?

Please select one item
Yes
No
If Yes, what are the benefits of having these processes available? If No, why should these processes not be made available in the case of the Parole Board?
If unsound or questionable decisions are made then the option to revisit the decision should be allowed

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