Key Statistics

24,204

The number of cases considered during the year. This compared with 28,596 in 2008/09, down by 15%. This fall in total cases is due to fewer determinate sentence and recall cases being referred to the Board. However, the number of resource intensive three member indeterminate sentence oral hearings rose by 20%.

2,974

The number of oral hearings that took place during the year. This compared with 2,757 in 2008/09, up by 8%. This continues the rising trend in the number of such hearings. Lifer cases dropped from 1,272 in 2008/09 to 1,170 this year. However, this has been more than overtaken by the rise in IPP cases from 556 in 2008/09 to 1,022.

2,202

The number of determinate sentence cases considered by paper panels during the year. This compared with 4,012 in 2008/09, down by 45%. The number of DCRs continues to fall significantly as these sentences are phased out under the 2003 Criminal Justice Act. There was also a fall in EPP and deport cases.

13,423

The number of recall cases considered during the year. This compared with 17,184 in 2008/09, down 22%. However, the number of single member oral hearings and sift cases to consider representations against recall rose by 47% during the year from 1,086 to 1,598.

18%

The percentage of DCR cases where parole was granted. This is down from the 24% release rate in 2008/09. The number of DCR cases considered by the Board has fallen by half for the second year running and only the most serious cases, on longer fixed sentences, remain in the system.

50

The number of determinate sentence prisoners recalled from parole during the year following an allegation of a further offence. This figure has fallen from 97 in 2008/09. Out of an average of 1,263 such prisoners on parole during the year this is a recall rate of 4%, which is stable compared to the recall rate for further offences for 2008/09, which was also 4%.

11%

The percentage of life sentence cases considered by oral hearing where life licence was granted. This has fallen from the lifer release rate of 15% in 2008/09. The release rate for IPP prisoners is only 5%, down from 8% in 2008/09.

90

The number of prisoners on life licence who were recalled during the year for any reason. This is out of a total of 1,797 life sentence prisoners under active supervision in the community during the year, or 5%. This is in line with the figure for 2008/09 of 89 recalls from life licence out of 1,646 prisoners in the community, or 5.4%. 

The Parole Board for England and Wales

Grenadier House, 99-105 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2DX

Telephone 0845 251 2220