FAQs
Here we try to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
General Questions
What is Parole?
What is the Parole Board?
How does a prisoner apply for parole?
Is parole a reward for good behaviour in prison?
Do sex offenders get parole?
Will the Board release a prisoner who denies his/her guilt?
Yes. Release on parole does not depend upon a prisoner admitting his/her guilt. It is not the function of the Board to investigate possible miscarriages of justice or to raise any misgivings about the correctness of a conviction. The Board will consider the likelihood of re-offending by taking account of the nature of the offence of which the prisoner has been convicted in a court, any previous convictions, attitude and response in prison and reports from prison staff and social work reports.
Prisoners' Questions
When do I qualify for consideration for early release on parole?
Can I opt out of the parole system?
When do I qualify for consideration for release on life licence?
Who writes the reports for my parole review dossier?
Do I get to see all the reports in my parole review dossier?
What if I don't agree with a report written about me?
When does a determinate sentence prisoner get interviewed by a Parole Board member?
Can I be legally represented when I am being interviewed by the member of the Parole Board?
What does the Parole Board take into account when considering my case?