The Deputy Prime Minister will also be given more authority to challenge Parole Board decisions, including when new, violent behavior by offenders is discovered, as part of historic reforms to increase transparency and boost public confidence.
He will also be able to voice his opinion earlier in the process.
These are the initial legal modifications made as part of the government’s reforms, which were announced in March and are meant to ensure that convicts who continue to pose a risk are kept in jail.
The measures will become effective on July 21, 2022, thanks to a statutory instrument that is being filed today (30 June 2022).
Anyone may request a public hearing, and the Parole Board will decide whether to grant it or not.
These choices will be based on the “interests of justice,” taking into account the welfare and interests of the victims.
This action comes in response to calls for greater openness following the 2018 decision to free black cab rapist John Worboys.
The Deputy Prime Minister will now make recommendations for release or motions to open prison for the most heinous offenders, such as murderers, rapists, terrorists, and those who caused or permitted the death of a child, before sending them to the Parole Board for its ultimate judgment.
The Deputy Prime Minister will express his opinion on whether it would be safe to release the prisoner after carefully weighing expert and professional recommendations.
By eliminating any uncertainty in the process, making the ministerial position explicit from the start will add another protection to help keep our streets safe from dangerous prisoners.
Dominic Raab, MP, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, said:
This represents the beginning of our modifications to the parole procedure.
For the benefit of the victims and the general public, we are increasing the transparency of the processes.
Additionally, I am ensuring that the Justice Secretary makes a single, unambiguous recommendation regarding the danger of releasing the worst criminals.
To ensure that the public’s protection comes first, we are redesigning the system.
The Deputy Prime Minister will have more authority to appeal Parole Board rulings as a result of today’s reforms.
As things stand, he can only request a decision be reviewed if it was made in an unreasonable manner or without according to the proper procedures.
He will now be allowed to request that a case be reevaluated if the prisoner’s circumstances change, such as if they exhibit violent behavior, or if new information becomes available that the Board was not aware of at the time.
This will eventually be strengthened by additional reforms, such as tighter Parole Board release standards and the ability to monitor and prevent the release of the most dangerous criminals.
As part of a test program before being made available nationwide the following year, victims in the south-west will also be able to view parole hearings starting in the fall.
We’ll also introduce new legislation mandating that the Parole Board consider victims’ submissions when deciding whether to release an offender.