Criminologist members

Risk assessment is the single most important thing we do at the Parole Board. In making these assessments, we recognise the value of the scientific approach taken by fully trained and experienced criminologists. Their skills are indispensable to support, underpin and provide theoretical backup for the decisions we make.

Criminologists offer us experience of criminal justice policy and often an understanding of the risk assessment tools and procedures used by the Prison Service and their offending behaviour programmes. They can also offer strong analytical and organisational skills, and the ability to interpret volumes of complex information and convey arguments clearly and precisely.

Anne Worrall

I am a Professor of Criminology and I joined the Parole Board because I think it is important for academics to keep their feet on the ground and be involved in making 'real' decisions about 'real' offenders. I started my working life as a probation officer and worked for ten years in a probation office. Then I worked as a Lecturer in Social Work with special responsibility for students training to be probation officers. So my work involved me with the probation service for some 20 years and I hope this has given me a degree of understanding about the challenges of supervising offenders in the community.

I have been teaching criminology since 1993 and I have undertaken research and written on women offenders. We don't see many women offenders on the Parole Board, which confirms my belief that women still commit very little serious crime. In practice, the work I do for the Parole Board is very much the same as that done by independent members. But I think I bring an understanding of the relationship between research and practice in criminal justice that some others may not have, despite their many other qualities and experiences. It is very important to have a mix of backgrounds on the Board and I have always valued the different perspectives of colleagues.

The Parole Board for England and Wales

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

Telephone 0845 251 2220