The Parole Board. Working with others to protect the public.
Recruitment
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.
Find Out More About the Role of Independent Members of the Parole Board
Please note that we are not looking to recruit part time independent or probation members in this campaign. Consideration will be given to whether we need to recruit additional independent members in the autumn. If you want to be notified of the next campaign to recruit independent members please e-mail diana.greene@justice.gsi.gov.uk so that your interest can be recorded.
Independent members come from all walks of life and bring a diverse and rich element to the Parole Board. As an independent member you will be part of a panel that is responsible for assessing the risk presented by prisoners and deciding whether they are suitable for release.
You will need to commit to an equivalent of 2.5 days work per week. Much of the work is background, including reading reports and drafting preparatory notes, which can be undertaken at home during the evening and at weekends. The panels, however, are held in London during the working week and members need to travel to attend these two or three times per month. The work is fee based at set rates and covers both the preparation and attending the panel in a single fixed fee.
During your first two years you will only be involved in paper panels. These consider either the recall of a prisoner or whether to release on parole licence (DCR). After two years, you will probably also take part in oral hearings at prisons, normally in your area. These consider release or recall of life sentence and high-risk prisoners.
An empathy and understanding for the effect our decisions have on peoples lives is critical in this role. The Parole Board serves to protect society and reduce the risk of future victims. You will need to demonstrate an understanding of and empathy for victims and those affected by crime. This could be through direct experience of being a victim of crime yourself, through having links to other who have been victims of crime or through a wider understanding of the issues victims face.
Grenadier House, 99-105 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2DX
Telephone 0845 251 2220