Parole Board report shows drop in releases

Chairman insists each case considered on merits, as report shows 10% fall

News, 2 June 2005

The Parole Board's annual report for 2004, just published, shows a fall in the number of prisoners recommended for parole compared with the previous year.

However the Board's chairman, Professor James McManus, emphasises that thos does not represent any change in policy. "Indeed, having a policy in this matter, as in any release decision making, would be unlawful", he commented, adding:

"Each case must be considered on its merits, taking into account all available evidence about the risk posed by the person being considered and the resources available in the community for the management of this risk."

Figures for the year show 311 prisoners were recommended for parole out of 703 cases considered by the Board, compared to 345 from 706 cases in 2003. The number of life prisoners released on licence for the first time was 28, compared to 51 in 2003 when the Board was still catching up with the extension of the system to all life prisoners.

The report also shows that the number of prisoners recalled to custody continues at a historically high level. On this Professor McManus said:

"While the Board has carried out its own study into these cases, to ensure that any lessons that could be learned might inform future decision making, the main conclusion about this level of recalls is that improvements in supervision in the community and reporting arrangements have improved and are being brought to the attention of the Board so that consideration can be given to recalling the licensee.

"As the recall statistics show, it is not necessary that a licensee re-offend before being recalled to custody - indeed, the ideal situation is that recall should be considered before any offence is perpetrated when it is clear that the level of risk presented has become unacceptable. In that way the full sentence imposed by the court is given real meaning and protection of the public is seen as the major concern of the early release system."

The report can be viewed on the Parole Board website at http://www.scottishparoleboard.gov.uk .