CCCJ Webinar: The Future of 'Parole': Identifying 'solutions'

The Parole Board recently hit the headlines after the Government announced a Root-and-Branch Review of the parole system to explore a number of areas including potentially opening hearings up to the public. The review will build on recent reforms but will also look at more fundamental changes.

So, what does the future hold for the parole system? What are the problems faced by the current system and what are the solutions?

The Parole Board, together with the Cambridge Centre for Criminal Justice and the Institute of Criminology of the University of Cambridge, invite you to join them for two webinars on the topic.

There will be two webinars: 2 hours each, 8-9 December 2020, 5–7pm.

The second seminar, on Wed 9th December, will focus more on appropriate reforms.

Chair: Professor Loraine Gelsthorpe, Director of the Institute of Criminology
- A Parole Board for tomorrow: how further reform could improve the parole system: Faith Geary, Chief Operating Officer, Parole Board. Respondent: Simon Creighton, Bhatt Murphy, solicitors
- The relative importance of ‘transparency’, ‘independence’, ‘accountability’ and ‘public confidence’ Professor David Feldman. Respondent: Martin Jones, CEO, Parole Board
- Understanding the place of parole within and without a root and branch review of sentencing and of the penal system: Professor Rob Canton. Respondent: Professor Nick Hardwick
Conclusions: Dr Harry Annison

Further details: The Government has now published more details of its long-awaited “root and branch” review of the parole system. The Consultation “on making some parole hearings open to victims of crime and the wider public” acknowledged that “the question of whether to allow public hearings is only one aspect of the root and branch review which will look at four broad areas: i) an evaluation of the parole reforms to date, ii) the constitution and status of the Parole Board, iii) improving public understanding and confidence in the parole system, and iv) measures to improve openness and transparency” (para 12).

Some questions to be explored:

• Should the Board remain solely focused on public protection, or have wider functions?
• Are there more steps to be taken to make the Board more independent and more court-like?
• What might this mean for accountability?
• Are there risks to greater transparency?   Can it limit effectiveness or impact public confidence?
• How can public, media and Parliamentary understanding of the Parole Board’s function be improved?
• How can the treatment of victims be improved, whilst ensuring that the system remains focused on evidence of future risk to the public?
• How can the Board best balance fairness and timeliness?
• What more can be done to progress prisoners so that they can be safely released at the earliest opportunity?
• What can be done to tackle the inefficiencies of the system?

Register online