Independent members

Independent members come from all walks of life and bring a diverse and rich element to the Parole Board. As an independent member they are part of panels that are responsible for assessing the risk presented by prisoners and deciding whether they are suitable for release.

Their initial work will involve paper panels. These consider either the recall of a prisoner or whether to release on parole licence. Later on  they also take part in oral hearings at prisons. These consider release or recall of life sentence and high-risk prisoners.

An empathy and understanding for the effect our decisions have on people's lives is critical in this role. The Parole Board serves to protect society and reduce the risk of future victims. Independent members need to demonstrate their understanding and empathy of victims and those affected by crime. This could be through direct experience of being a victim of crime, through having links to other who have been victims of crime or through a wider understanding of the issues victims face.

Peter Wilshaw

Over 30 plus years as a police officer I attended many crime scenes. I met and consoled hundreds of victims and their families and did my best to bring the perpetrators to justice. I saw first hand how lives were ruined by crime and criminals and, when I retired from the police, was able to bring that experience with me into the Parole Board. My experience is not unique or special. Each and every member of the Board brings something extra that makes the Board what it is. This balance of experience helps panels to arrive at the difficult decisions that it is the Boards' duty to make and to protect the public.

The experience I have gained over the past 7 years, working with Board colleagues from different walks of life, has equipped me well. In my experience the broad balance of skills and experiences, drawn from a variety of walks of life, continues to serve the Board well. An over-representation of any one group risks losing this fine balance and could result in an under-representation of the community. As I come to the end of my tenure on the Board I am able to reflect on a period of constant change but of a difficult job done well

Deep Sagar

My professional background is that I was a private sector manager for over 20 years working for companies like Coca-Cola. I no longer do that, but I still work as a management consultant, typically on issues like leadership, strategy and change. I have lately been doing more work for disadvantaged people and in the public sector. Offender rehabilitation and crime reduction has developed into a recent area of personal interest for me.

The Parole Board has a most important role to play in crime reduction and offender rehabilitation and thus I am happy to be a member. My understanding of organisations and the public sector has improved after seeing how the Parole Board operates. On the personal side, my understanding of human beings and criminals is getting better through the cases that I have come across. I also find that working with like-minded people in panels is satisfying. 

The Parole Board for England and Wales

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

Telephone 0845 251 2220