The role of Psychologist members and
Psychologist witnesses in the Parole Board process
Eleni Belivanaki & Sarah Khan
Specialist Psychologist members of the Parole Board
Division of Forensic Psychology Conference
Belfast 2013

Contents o Introduction o The Parole Board o The role of a Forensic Psychologist as a specialist member of the
Parole Board o What the panel expect of Psychologist witnesses o Questions / comments
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The Parole board o Function / Independent body o What happens at oral hearings o Evidence of risk reduction o Can recommend / direct progressive move to Cat D or release o Cannot recommend specific therapeutic interventions / further treatment o Will take into account all written and oral evidence provided by OM,
OS, Psychologists, Personal officers etc, as well as the prisoner
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The Parole board o The test: “The Board will direct release, if the Board is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the person should be confined.
o From 03/12/12 o Abolition of the Indeterminate sentence for Public Protection (IPP), introduction of the Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS) o Parliament has ruled that the test shall be one of public protection rather than a balancing act between the risk of any type of offending against the benefits of early release; in other words, it will be a ‘risk-only’ test.
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THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST
MEMBER o Currently 20 Psychologist members, all on part-time basis o To provide a psychologically informed case formulation o To provide a specialist opinion on complex cases, for example when there is a diagnosis of MI, PD, ASD, LD etc
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THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST
MEMBER (cont.) o To provide a specialist opinion on risk o To review, analyse, critically evaluate and if necessary challenge written and oral evidence provided by Psychologist witnesses o Not all hearings require a Psychologist member on the panel
(around 14% do).
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What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses o To treat the oral hearing as a court hearing o To comply with their duty to the court and to remain independent and impartial o To decline any referral for assessments that are not within their clinical expertise o To be clear about their instructions and to make those known in their report and in their oral evidence to the panel (example: a cognitive functioning, ASD, LD assessment is very different to a psychological risk assessment) o To have shared their report with the prisoner and if possible to have included the prisoner’s comments
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What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses (cont.) o To attend the hearing prepared (have read the dossier, know the case very well, know their report) o To be prepared to answer questions by the panel, as well as by the prisoner’s legal representative.
o To provide an independent, updated, evidence-based, psychological risk assessment that will assist the panel in making their decision o To use valid and current psychometric tools
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What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses (cont.) o To be able to explain how they have reached their conclusions and to provide defensible recommendations o To be able to comment on risk factors, protective factors and outstanding treatment needs / targets o To comment on risk level and imminence of risk o To make a recommendation as to whether outstanding risk factors should be addressed in closed conditions (Cat A, B, C), open conditions (Cat D) or in the community (release) o To make recommendations for risk management
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What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses (cont.) o To provide the panel with a list of therapeutic interventions / courses the prisoner has completed (helpful) o If not involved in the prisoner’s treatment, to provide feedback from the treatment team o To avoid criticising, challenging or commenting on another
Psychologist’s report. This lies within the role of the PB
Psychologist member o To seek supervision and advice from a more senior / more experienced Psychologist for particularly complex cases
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Questions
Comments
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