Victims can attend the parole hearings of their perpetrators from
today (1 April) as part of the Government's Plan for Change to
boost confidence in the justice system.
For the first time, victims from across England and Wales will be
able to apply to observe private Parole Board hearings held to
decide if a prisoner is safe to be released.
It will let victims see first-hand how offenders are held
accountable for their crimes, their subsequent behaviour in
prison and their work to prove they can live law-abiding lives if
released.
A pilot in the South West of England and Greater Manchester found
victims were reassured to see the level of scrutiny that
prisoners are put under before any decision to release them is
made.
It is hoped, therefore, that these changes will provide more
victims with a greater understanding of the decisions made by the
Parole Board while ensuring they feel more involved in the
process.
Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and
Girls, , said:
“For too long, victims have been locked out of the parole system.
“As part of our Plan for Change, we are now giving victims the
right to see how offenders are challenged when up for parole.
“This Government is improving our justice system to ensure it
serves victims better.”
Even when the Parole Board makes the decision to release an
offender on licence, they are then supervised by the Probation
Service and subject to strict conditions, such as curfews and
exclusion zones that prevent them approaching their victims.
Offenders face going back to prison if they break the rules.
The Parole Board is an independent body that carries out risk
assessments on prisoners to determine whether they can be safely
released into the community on licence conditions or moved to an
open prison.
Victims who are part of the Victim Contact Scheme
will apply to the Parole Board to attend hearings with the help
of their victim liaison officer and those who are successful in
applying will observe remotely so they don't have to sit with the
perpetrator.
They will then be provided with in-person support during the
hearing and victims will be directed towards additional support
following the proceedings, such as counselling, if necessary.
Anna, a victim who attended a parole hearing as part of
the pilot, said:
“Observing the hearing was a surprisingly positive process for
us. It has helped us to draw a line under the whole chapter and
move on.
“Witnessing the level of care taken by the Parole Board instilled
in me genuine confidence regarding how the offender will be
managed upon release.
“Before the parole hearing, I had some unanswered questions.
Observing the hearing helped me answer many of these.”
The Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, , said:
“As someone who has been through the parole process, I welcome
this national rollout. This is a vital step towards lifting the
lid on a system that has long felt closed off to victims, helping
them feel more meaningfully involved rather than bystanders to
proceedings.
“As the rollout begins, it is crucial that victims are provided
with all the information they need to make an informed choice
about whether to apply - and to understand what to expect if
their application is successful- alongside access to guidance and
support at every stage of the parole hearing process. Open
justice should always be encouraged, but victim welfare must
remain paramount.”
This latest reform to the Parole Board process follows new
measures which will be implemented later this year to introduce a
Ministerial check on the release of the most dangerous offenders.
This power will give Ministers better oversight of the release of
the most serious offenders by allowing them to refer certain
cases directly to the High Court for a second check.
Notes to editors:
- Victims will not be able to observe the entire hearing, as
certain evidence must be heard in private, such as that relating
to risk management.
- The pilot began in September 2022 in the South-West Probation
Region and was expanded to Greater Manchester in September 2023.
- The Government's ‘Understand Your Rights' Victims' Code
campaign raises awareness of the Victims' Code and highlights
that it is there for every victim, whatever the crime. The
campaign directs users to understand their rights at victimscode.org.uk
