Quality and Standards

Quality of decision-making

We have continued to develop and embed good practice in decision-making, by defining standards, incorporating these into training for new members and analysing examples of practice taken from the Monitoring, Evaluation and Feedback project to draw out learning and development needs.  The standards mean that there is a good understanding of best practice in decision-making. This has lead to improvements in the consistency and clarity of decision letters which has been welcomed by offenders and practitioners. 

The standards also formed the basis for revisions to our accreditation procedures to demonstrate the competence of members to undertake the different types of casework.  Our commitment to maintaining the quality of our decision-making has been reflected in the decision to extend the monitoring of reasons from determinate sentence casework to recalled offenders and, in the coming year, to indeterminate sentence cases.

Evidence to support good decisions

This year, the close collaboration between the Board and NOMS led to the publication of a resource pack for prison and probation staff to help them improve the quality of their parole reports.  This was publicly endorsed by the Chief Operating Officer in NOMS, Michael Spurr, and has received a very positive response from practitioners, managers and Her Majesty's Inspector of Probation.  

The creation this year of the Parole Standards Board now provides a formal mechanism through which we can work with other organisations to define the type and quality of evidence we need to inform our decisions.  This Board oversaw an evaluation of the quality of Probation Officer's reports, raising the profile of this important aspect of probation work and providing valuable feedback and learning for practitioners.

Effective processes

In addition to the work on the quality assurance of decision-making, the Quality Unit has also undertaken projects to improve our management of cases.  One example of this was their analysis of deferrals and adjournments.  This identified the underlying causes, the lessons to be learned and the remedies which we need to put into place to avoid unnecessary deferrals and adjournments.  The Unit was also involved in refining the Re4Re Team processes and documentation to ensure more effective and timely referrals of cases by the Duty Member to oral hearing.

Member expertise

We continue to build the knowledge and expertise of Board members to ensure they are up to date with the latest developments in risk assessment tools and risk management practices and particularly focusing on emerging areas of practice such as the assessment of terrorist offenders.  During the year, members have received training and guidance on a range of issues including changes to the Offender Assessment System. 

Public confidence

The Parole Board's Review Committee plays a vital role in ensuring we learn the lessons from those cases where offenders released on parole have gone on to commit serious further offences or are alleged to have committed such offences.  The Parole Board also played a key role in establishing the Joint Review Panel which brings together all the agencies involved in assessing and managing high risk offenders to identify and resolve problems where cases have needed inter-agency co-operation and information sharing.

The JRP's major achievement this year was the publication of the first edition of the Learning the Lessons of High Risk Offender Management.  The publication draws on the work of all the agencies involved and highlights good practice and learning points. This has been circulated to staff across NOMS, the police, Department of Health and Youth Justice Board and is already used to support training. 

The Parole Board for England and Wales

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

Telephone 0845 251 2220