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The never-ending story: Indeterminate sentencing and the prison regime
• TheImprisonmentforPublicProtectionsentence(IPP)waspoorlyplannedandimplementedandresultedinunjustpunishments,particularlyforthosesentencedpriorto2008.Despitetheabolitionofthesentencein2012,serious implicationsfortheprisonestateremain
• Therearecurrently5,809peopleinprisonservinganIPP;overhalf(3,570)havepassedtheirtariffdate
• Urgentactionneedstobetakentoenablethesafereleaseofpeopleservingpost-tariffIPPsintothecommunity
• Theanalysisisbasedoninformationprovidedby103seniorprisongovernors,whoseresponsesdrewalmostexclusivelyontheirexperienceofworkingwithIPPprisoners.ThemajorityreportedthatIPPsentenceshadanegativeimpactonprisoners,prisonstaff,andtheprisonregime
• ThefindingssuggestthatthereareinsufficientresourcestodeliverIPPseffectively.ResourceshortagesoftenleadtoresentmentbetweenIPPprisonersandotherprisonersandmaythreatenthesafetyandstabilityoftheprisonregime
• Ninety-twopercentreportedthatIPPsdecreasedstaffjobsatisfactionastheyunderminedstaffcredibility,preventedstafftreatingallprisonersfairly,andoftenmeantstaffwereunabletoassistprisonersinprogressingthroughtheirsentences
• Themajorityrecommendedthatthegovernmentenablepost-tariffIPPprisonerstobesafelymanagedintothecommunity.Toachievethis,respondentssaiditwasnecessarytoincreaseresources,enhancetheroleofprobation,alterthereleaseprocessforIPPprisonersandconvertIPPsentenceswithshortminimumtermstodeterminatesentences.
Key points
Research briefing
Introduction InDecember2012theImprisonmentforPublicProtectionsentence(IPP)wasabolishedbytheLegalAid,Sentencing,andPunishmentofOffendersAct(LASPO)2012.TheActwasnotappliedretrospectively,andtherearecurrently5,809peopleinprisonservinganIPP,3,570ofwhomarebeingdetainedaftertheirtariffdatehasexpired(MinistryofJustice,2013a).TheHowardLeagueforPenalReformhaslongstandingconcernsabouttheprinciplesbehind,andtheapplicationof,theIPPsentence.In2008thecharitypublishedareporturgingthegovernmenttoabolishthesentence,arguingthatitwasill-conceivedandfundamentallyflawed(HowardLeague,2008);fouryearslatertheseconcernswereaddressedandthesentencewasabolished.ThelegalteamattheHowardLeaguehasrepresentedchildrensentencedtoDetentionforPublicProtectionsentences(DPP–theparallelindeterminatesentenceforjuveniles)regardingissuessuchasaccesstooffenderbehaviourcourses,transfertoopenconditions,anddetentionaftertheendofthetariffperiod.ThePrisonGovernors’Association(PGA)hasexpressedconcernaboutthosewhoremainincustodyservingIPPsentences.Its2012conferencevotedoverwhelminglyinsupportofamotionwelcomingtheendoftheIPP,andcallingongovernmenttotakeactiontopreventexistingIPPprisonersfromservingdisproportionatelylongsentences.ConcernsremainregardingIPPprisonersandtheirsafemanagementthroughtheprisonsystemandbackintothecommunity.ThePGAandtheHowardLeaguehaveworkedinpartnershiptosurveyPGAmembersinordertoascertaintheimpactofIPPprisonersontheprisonenvironmentandonprisonstaff;andtoputforwardrecommendationsformanagingsafelythereleaseofthosecurrentlyservingIPPsintothecommunity.Thesurveyelicited103responses,almostallrespondentswerehighlyexperiencedseniorprisonservicestaff,withdirectexperienceofworkingwithIPPprisoners.Onaverage,respondentshadworkedintheprisonsystemfor21years.Onefifthofrespondentswerecurrentlyworkinginprisonsholdingover100IPPprisoners.Thesurveycomprisedtenresearchquestionsexploringthreemainissues:1.TheimpactofIPPprisonersontheoverall prisonregime
2.TheimpactofIPPprisonersonprisonstaff3.What,ifanything,oughttobedonetomanagethesafereleaseofpost-tariffIPPprisonersbackintothecommunity?
Thisbriefingpresentsananalysisofthesurveyfindingsandputsforwardrecommendationsto
enablethoseincustodyservingIPPsentencestobemanagedsafelyintothecommunity.RecommendationsarebasedbothonresponsestothesurveyandtheHowardLeague’sknowledgeandexperienceoftheissuessurroundingIPPsentences.
BackgroundTheIPPsentencewasintroducedbytheCriminalJusticeAct2003.Itwascreatedtoincreasethepowersofcourtswhendealingwiththosetermed‘dangerousoffenders’.IPPsoperateinasimilarwaytolifesentences,whereasentencedpersonmustserveaminimumtermortariffbeforetheycanbeconsideredforrelease.Oncethetariffhasexpired,theParoleBoardmustdeterminewhetheritis‘completelysatisfiedthattheriskhadsufficientlydiminishedforthatpersontobereleasedandsupervisedinthecommunity’(CriminalJusticeService,2002:95).Followingrelease,apersonissubjecttoalifelicence.Underthe2003Act,anIPPsentencecouldbeimposedifapersoncommittedoneof153specifiedviolentorsexualoffenceslistedinthelegislation.Therewasalsoarebuttablepresumptionofdangerousnessforthosewhohadapreviousconvictionofanyoneofthespecifiedoffences.Judicialdiscretionwaslimited;oncethecriteriaweremetajudgewasrequiredtohanddownanIPPunlesstheythoughtitunreasonabletodoso.
TheIPPsentencecanbeseenastheepitomeofthemovetowardsa‘risk-basedpenalstrategy’(Ashworth,2010:422)basedprimarilyonthefutureriskanindividualispredictedtopresent,ratherthanontheoffenceforwhichtheyhavebeenconvicted.TheNewLabouryearsingovernment(1997–2010)sawadistinctchangeincriminaljusticeandsentencingpolicy;publicprotectiontookamoreprominentroleasapurposeofsentencing,andproportionality–theconceptthatthesentencereflectstheseriousnessofthecrime–increasinglyhadlessinfluence(JacobsonandHough,2010).Suchanapproachhasbeenheavilycriticisedbybothacademicsandthoseworkingwithinthecriminaljusticesystemonthegroundsthattheabilitytoidentifydangerousnessandpredictriskisquestionable(Ashworth,2010),andthatthereducedprominenceofproportionalityinsentencingleadstounfairandunjustsentences(JacobsonandHough,2010).TheIPPsentencecameintoforceinApril2005.Withintwoyearsalmost3,000peoplehadbeensentencedtoanIPP(MinistryofJustice,2013b)whichwassubstantiallymorethantheHomeOfficehadanticipated.BySeptember2012,thisfigurehadrisento8,233(Ibid.).Althoughthesentencewasdesignedtoapplytothosewhocommittedseriousanddangerousoffences,manyofthosesentencedhadatriggeroffencethatwasofalessseriousnatureandaccordingly
receivedshorttariffs;athirdhadatariffoflessthantwoyears(JacobsonandHough,2010)withonetariffsetaslowas28days(StricklandandBeard,2012).Thefuture-risk-basedrationaleofthesentencewaspredicatedonthosesentencedhavingaccesstooffendingbehaviourcoursesthatwouldtheoreticallyenablethemtoreducetheirlevelofrisk,anddemonstratethistotheParoleBoard.IPPprisonersarethereforeaparticularlyresource-intensivegroup,andthelargenumbersofIPPprisonersenteringprisonsplacedconsiderablestrainsonthesystem(Ibid.).ThePrisonServicewasnotresourcedtodelivertherehabilitativecoursesrequiredandtheParoleBoarddidnothavethecapacitytohearthenumerousadditionalcases(HMChiefInspectorofPrisonsandHMChiefInspectorofProbation,2008).Thesefactors,incombinationwiththeveryshorttariffsmanyIPPprisonerswereserving,resultedinthevastmajoritybeingdetainedpost-tariffandveryfewbeingreleasedatall.Thisinturnsignificantlyincreasedtheprisonpopulationandsawtheindeterminately-sentencedprisonpopulationgrowby135percentbetween2005and2012(StricklandandBeard,2012).InordertoamelioratetheseissuesstepsweretakentolimittheapplicationoftheIPPintheCriminalJusticeandImmigrationAct2008.Thistightenedtheeligibilitycriteria,requiringthatapersonbeconvictedofaserious,specifiedoffencemeritingadeterminatesentenceofatleastfouryears(effectivelyaminimumtwoyeartariff),removingtherebuttablepresumptionofdangerousnessandgivingjudgesgreaterdiscretionastowhethertohanddownthesentence.Thesealterationshadamodestimpact,reducingtherateofnewIPPsentencesbyaroundathirdandincreasingtheaveragetarifflength(StricklandandBeard,2012).However,thenumberofprisonersreleasedcontinuedtobesmallandtheproblemsofincreasingnumbersandinsufficientresourcesremained.Thenon-retrospectiveapplicationoftheActmeantthatthosesentencedpriorto2008withshorttariffsremainedincustodyservingincreasinglydisproportionatesentenceswithlittleopportunitytoprovetheirriskhaddiminished(JacobsonandHough,2010).TheIPPwasabolishedinLASPO2012,replacedbyasystemof‘two-strikes’lifesentencesandextendeddeterminatesentences.KennethClarkeQCMP,thethenJusticeSecretary,statedthatIPPswere‘unclear,inconsistentandhavebeenusedfarmorethanwaseverintended...Thatisunjusttothepeopleinquestionandcompletelyinconsistentwiththepolicyofpunishment,reformandrehabilitation’(Hansard,2011).However,theabolitionwasnotappliedretrospectively.Ofthepost-tariffprisonerscurrentlyservinganIPP,asignificantnumberweresentencedpriorto2008withatariffperiodoflessthantwoyears.
Thepost-tariffdetentionofthoseservingIPPs(particularlythosesentencedpriorto2008)hasbeensubjecttonumerouslegalchallenges.In2012theissuewentbeforetheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights(ECHR)inJames, Wells and Leev.the United Kingdom,wheretheseven-judgepanelunanimouslyheldthatfailuretoprovideaccesstotherehabilitativecoursesrequiredtoproveriskreductionrenderedthedetentionofIPPprisonerspost-tariff‘arbitraryandunlawful’.TheCoalitionGovernmentsoughtleavetoappealthedecision,butthiswasrejectedinFebruary2013(ECHR,2013).
Box 1: Numbers of IPP prisoners sentenced and released each year
Survey FindingsThesurveyofPGAmembersaddressedtheimpactthatIPPprisoners,particularlythosedetainedfollowingtheendoftheirtariffperiod,haveonthewiderprisonerpopulation,prisonstaff,andtheprisonregimeasawhole.RespondentswerealsoaskedwhethertheythoughtstepsoughttobetakentomanageIPPprisonersintothecommunitysafelywithaparticularfocusonthosewhohadpassedtheirtariffperiod.FullsurveyresultscanbefoundontheHowardLeaguewebsite:(www.howardleague.org).Impact on prisoners and prison staffResource implicationsRespondentshighlightedtheresourceimplicationsofmanaginglargenumbersofIPPprisoners,andtheimpactthishadonotherlong-sentencedprisonersandtheprisonregimeasawhole.ItwasnotedthatattemptingtoallocateIPPprisonerstotherelevantcoursesortransferthemtoprisonsprovidingthenecessaryrehabilitationprogrammestookupasignificantamountofstafftime.Severalrespondentsaddedthatthehighnumberofcomplaintsandlegalchallengesthatpost-tariffIPPprisonersmadeplacedadditionalandunsustainableadministrativeburdensonstaff.Alargemajority(77percent)statedthattheadditionaldemandsIPPprisonersplacedonprisonresourceshadadetrimentalimpactonaccessto
Year NumbersentencedtoIPP
NumberofIPPprisonersreleased
2005 147 0
2006 1283 3
2007 1687 13
2008 1691 36
2009 1132 53
2010 959 97
2011 867 300
2012 792 444Sources:Ministryof Justice (2013c),Criminal JusticeStatistics,September2012TableQ5.6;MinistryofJustice(2013a),OffenderManagementStatistics(quarterly),OctobertoDecember2012Table3.1;MinistryofJustice(2011a),OffendingManagementCaseloadAnnualstatistics2011,TableA3.5.
rehabilitativeandeducationalcoursesfornon-IPPprisoners.Seventy-eightpercentreportedthatwaitinglistsforrehabilitativecourseswereverylongintheprisontheyworkedin.Respondentsfeltthattheneedsoflife-sentencedprisonersinparticularwerelikelytobeneglectedasresourcesweremorefocusedtowardsIPPprisoners,potentiallydelayingthereleaseoflife-sentencedprisoners.TheseresourcechallengeswereregardedasasourceofresentmentandfrustrationamongbothIPPandotherprisoners.OnerespondentnotedthatIPPprisonersexperienced‘[f]rustrationthattheyhavepassedtheirtariffdatebutareunabletosecureaspaceintheappropriateprisontomeettheirneedsand/ortheyareunabletosecureaplaceontheinterventiontheyneedduetowaitinglistsandfunding’(Respondent5).Forty-twopercentofrespondentshighlightedthattheIPPsentenceledtodivisionswithinprisonsanddifficultiesbetweenprisoners,asthoseservingIPPsresenteddeterminately-sentencedprisonerswhosecuredplacesonrehabilitationcourseswhiletheyremainedonwaitinglists,andnon-IPPprisonersoftenresentedwhattheyperceivedas‘queue-jumping’(Respondent75)byIPPprisonersintermsofaccesstocourses,parolehearings,andtimewithstaff.DisciplineRespondentsindicatedthatresentmentandperceivedunfairnessresultedinincreaseddisciplineproblemsandsecuritythreats.Forty-sixpercentofrespondentsreportedthatinstitutionshousingIPPprisonerssawincreasedlevelsofindiscipline.Withregardtopost-tariffIPPprisonersrespondentsstatedthat‘invariablytheycouldseenochanceofreleaseastheystruggledtoaccessappropriatecoursesorindeedwerenotsuitableforthesecourses.Thisledtoanxiety,resentmentanddisciplineproblemscausedbyfrustration’(Respondent63),andproduced‘[f]eelingsofnoincentive,andnodeterrentnottomisbehave’(Respondent14).ThefindingssuggestthatthelargenumberofpeoplesentencedtoIPPs,particularlythosesentencedwithshortminimumterms,hadcontributedtofeelingsofunfairnessandinjusticewithinmanyprisons.Academicresearchandofficialreportsintoprisonindisciplineanddisturbances(forexampleWoolf,1991andLiebling,2004)consistentlyhighlighttheimportanceofjustandfairtreatmentthatensuresprisonersdonotbecomedisaffectedinordertomaintainastable,safe,anddecentregime.ThesurveyindicatesthatdifficultiesmanagingtheneedsofIPPprisoners,especiallythosewhoarepost-tariff,presentpotentialteststoprisonsafetyandstability.Asonerespondentnoted:‘IfeeltheIPPsneedtohavesomethingachievabletoaimforotherwiseresentmentwillbuildwithpotentiallydisastrousconsequencesforprisonsandprisonstaff’(Respondent16).
Box 2: Impact of IPP sentences on prison staff
Staff moraleItisclearfromthesurveythatmanagingIPPprisonershadadetrimentalimpactonstaffmorale.Ninety-twopercentreportedthatIPPsdecreasedstaffjobsatisfactionastheyunderminedstaffcredibility,preventedstafffromtreatingallprisonersfairly,andoftenmeantstaffwereunabletoassistprisonersinprogressingthroughtheirsentences.Asaresultmanyrespondentsfeltstaffwerefrustratedanddemoralisedwiththeirwork.Several(20percent)notedthatthisledtopoorerrelationshipsbetweenstaffandprisoners,andsome(28percent)linkedthedifficultiesstafffacedwhenworkingwithIPPprisonerstoincreasedsecuritythreatsandindiscipline.Thecrucialroleofstaff-prisonerrelationshipsandthenecessityofamotivatedworkforceinthecreationandmaintenanceofsafeandstableprisonregimeshaslongbeennotedbyresearchersandcommentators(SeeforexampleHulley,LieblingandCrewe,2012).Reportsoffeelingsofhelplessnessamongstaffandnegativeeffectsonrelationshipswithprisonersarethereforetroubling.Onerespondentreported,‘Ihaveregularlyhadconversationswithstaffwhostate‘Icanseewhereheiscomingfrom.Hecomplied,wefailedhim,heisnownotbotheredandseesnoendtothewait!’’(Respondent32).Prisoner wellbeingRespondentsalsohighlightedthatthenatureoftheIPPsentencefrequentlyhadanegativeimpactonthehealthandwellbeingofthoseservingthesentence:86percentreportedthatIPPprisonersexperiencedhighlevelsofanxiety,andseveralnotedthatIPPprisonerswereatincreasedrisk
Noimpactatall 2%
Problemswithprisonerswantingaccesstocourses
75%
Havetodealwithmoreindisciplineamongprisoners
37%
Dissatisfactionwiththejobasunabletohelp/supportprisoners
42%
Reducesprisonstaff'scredibilityasnotseentobefair
43%
Frustrationwithabilitytodojob 48%
ProblemsmanagingmovementofIPPsandotherlifersthroughsystemfairly
88%
Problemswithsecurityissuesduetodiminishedrelationshipwithprisoners
27%
Goodjobsatisfactionasabletosupportprisoners
6%
DealingwithlargenumbersofIPPprisoners 42%
Poorerrelationswithprisoners 20%
Difficultyinachievingfairtreatmentbetweenlongandshorttariffprisoners
63%
ofself-harm.Thiswasparticularlythecaseforthosepre-2008sentencedprisonersservingshorttariffswhowouldnothavebeeneligibleforthesentencefollowingthechangesmadeintheCriminalJusticeandImmigrationAct2008.Itwasemphasisedthatthiscohortofprisonershadparticulardifficultieswithanxietyastheysawotherswhohadbeenconvictedofsimilarcrimesafter2008enterandleaveprisonwhiletheyweredetainedsubstantiallybeyondtheirtariffdate.RespondentsnotedthatIPPsentenceswereparticularlydifficultforprisonerswhohadpre-existingmentalhealthproblems,learningdifficulties,orapersonalitydisorder.Suchprisonersfacedadditionalobstaclesinaccessingrehabilitativecourses,forexample:‘SomeoffendershaveADHD,aspergersetc.andtheinterventionsteamsarenotequippedtodeliverinterventiontothisgroupofoffenders,soagaintheycanservedisproportionatesentences’(Respondent63).RespondentsviewedtheimpactofIPPsentencesonprisonerssufferingfromtheseproblemsasparticularlyunfair.
Managing prisoners safely into the communityAlmostallrespondents(97percent)agreedthatchangesneededtobemadetothecurrentsystemtoenablepost-tariffIPPprisonerstobemanagedandreleasedintothecommunitysafely.Threebroadcoursesofactionwereidentified:increasingresources;supervisioninthecommunity;andalteringthereleaseprocess.Increasing resourcesManyrespondentssuggestedthatadditionalresourcesshouldbemadeavailabletoenableIPPprisonersaccesstorehabilitativeprogrammesandtohaveasenseofprogressionthroughtheirsentencetowardsrelease.Fifty-sevenpercentrecommendedincreasingstaffnumbersand31percentrecommendedincreasingthetimestaffspentworkingdirectlywithIPPprisonersonissuesrelatedtotheirrelease.ManyrespondentsalsohighlightedtheneedtoincreasetheresourcesoftheParoleBoardandensurethatithearsapplicationsmorefrequently.Stafftrainingwasalsohighlightedasanissuethatneededtobetackled.Respondentsnotedareductionintrainingforworkingwithindeterminately-sentencedprisoners.EnsuringstaffhadsufficienttrainingtoworkwithIPPprisonerswasseenaskeytoenablingtheirsafemanagementintothecommunity.Whilerecommendationstoincreaseresourcesmightbeconsideredunrealisticinlightofthecurrentconstraintsonpublicspending,failuretoinvestintheprovisionofrehabilitativecoursesinordertomakesavingspresentsafalseeconomy.
Itcostsanaverageof£39,573peryeartokeepapersonincustody(MinistryofJustice,2011b)anditislikelythatthisfigurewillbenotablyhigherforthosesentencedtoIPPsastheyareparticularlyresource-intensiveFurther,followingthejudgmentinJames, Wells, and Lee v. United Kingdom,itislikelythatthosewhoaredetainedbeyondtheirtariffwithoutaccesstothecoursesrequiredtoreducetheirriskwillbeentitledtocompensationfromthegovernment.Supervision in the communitySurveyresultsshowthattheissueofriskremainedimportantforpre-2008sentencedIPPprisoners,butrespondentswereoftheviewthatformanyinthisgroupsupervisioninthecommunitywasappropriate.Respondentsvaluedtheworkoftheprobationservice,andsuggestedthattheprobationservicewasunder-utilisedwithregardtoIPPprisoners.Respondentsthoughtmoreshouldbedonetoenableprobationofficerstohaveagreaterroleintheriskassessmentofprisoners,andalsotosetupeffective‘throughthegate’provision.Asignificantnumber(35percent)thoughtthatmoreprobationofficersoughttoberecruitedtoworkwiththisgroupofprisoners,andthatoffendingbehaviourcoursesshouldbeavailableinthecommunitywithattendanceformingpartoflicencerequirements.Amajorityofrespondentsfeltthatthelengthoflicencesandstringencyoflicencerequirementsoughttobeincreasedwherenecessarytoensurepublicsafety.OtherrespondentsnotedthatIPPswerelikelytobereleasedonlifelicenceandfeltthiswassufficienttoprotectthepublic.Alargenumberofrespondents(71percent)favouredutilisingelectronicorsatellitetrackingtechnologyinappropriatecases,althoughevidenceastowhethertaggingiseffectiveinpreventingfurtheroffencesismixed,withresearchconductedbytheMinistryofJusticesuggestingthattagginghasaneutralimpactonreoffending(Hansard,2009).
Altering the release processThesurveyindicatedthatmanyrespondentswerekeentorevisetheprocessforidentifying,managingandassessingrisk,inordertoprevent,whereappropriate,thecontinuationofprisoners’sentencespost-tariff.Severalrespondentsdrewattentiontotherisk-aversenatureofParoleBoarddecisionmakingandsuggestedthisshouldbere-evaluated.ManystatedthattheParoleBoardoughttobelessreliantonthecompletionofparticularoffendingbehaviourcourses,withonerespondentnotingthat‘offenderswithalowriskofreconvictiondonotbenefit,orbenefitverylittlefromcompletingOBprogrammes’(Respondent74).Further,
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manyrecommendedthatgovernorsbegivenagreaterroleinconductingriskassessmentsofIPPprisonersandmakingrecommendationstotheParoleBoard(47percent).Inaddition,asmallnumberofrespondentssuggestedthatthegovernmentoughtto‘[c]onvertsentencestodeterminatelengthwithextendedlicencetosupportthesafetyofthepublic’(Respondent23).TheminimumtariffforanIPPsentencewasdeterminedbycalculatingthelengthoftheequivalentdeterminatesentencefortheoffenceandthenhalvingthis(Ashworth,2010).TheconversionofIPPsintodeterminatesentencescouldthereforebeachievedbydoublingthelengthoftheminimumtariffandremovingtheindeterminateelementofthesentence.
Box 3: Respondents’ recommendations for safe management into the community
Recommendations• Thegovernmentmusturgentlyreviewthesituationofpost-tariffIPPprisonersandimplementasystemtoenablethemtobesafelymanagedintothecommunity
• AllshorttariffIPPprisonersshouldbeprovidedwithaclearstrategytomanagetheirsafereleaseintothecommunitybeforetheendof2013.ThiscouldbeachievedbyconvertingallIPPsentenceswithshortminimumtariffsintodeterminatesentences.
• ResourcesmustbeincreasedtoenableallthoseservingIPPstoaccessthecoursesneededtoreducetheirrisk,andtoensurethatstaffhavesufficienttrainingtoworkwiththisgroup.Failingtoinvestinresourceswillresultinincreasedcostsinthelongterm
• PrisongovernorsoughttohaveagreaterroleinriskassessmentandmakingrecommendationstotheParoleBoard
• TheParoleBoardmustbegivencapacitytohearmorecasesandthecriteriaforreleasemustbereviewedandamended
• TheProbationServicehaveanimportantroleinenablingthesafemanagementofpost-tariffIPPprisonersintothecommunity.Thisrolemustberecognisedandstrengthened.
Afulllistofreferencesisavailableonour websiteathttp://www.howardleague.org/never-ending_story/
About the Howard League for Penal ReformTheHowardLeagueisanationalcharityworkingforlesscrime,safercommunitiesandfewerpeopleinprison.Itcampaigns,researchesandtakeslegalactiononawiderangeofissues.Itworkswithparliament,themedia,criminaljusticeprofessionals,studentsandmembersofthepublic,influencingdebateandforcingthroughmeaningfulchange.
Moreinfomationavailableat:www.howardleague.org
GovernorstoundertakeinitialriskassessmentandmakerecommendationtoParoleBoard
47%
AllowIPPprisonersgreateraccesstoReleaseonTemporaryLicence
25%
CircumventthecurrentsystemtoallowquickeraccesstoParoleBoard
29%
Speeduptheprocesstoopenconditions
23%
Employmoreprisonstafftodeliverthenecessarycourses
57%
RecruitmoreParoleBoardmemberssothatboardssitmorefrequently
50%
Allowprisonstaffmoretimetoworkwithprisonerstoprepareforrelease/ParoleBoardhearing
40%
Changethecriteriaandaccessconditionstorehabilitativecourses
21%
Systemisworkingwell,thereisnoneedtochangeanything
2%
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