The Board recognises the concerns of victims and their families when offenders are released back into the community. If victims are registered as part of the victim notification system, the Board must take all reasonable steps to notify them of an offender’s pending hearing (section 43(2) of the Parole Act 2002). Where the offender is subject to a long-term sentence (more than 2 years imprisonment), they are also entitled to receive information on any programmes the offender may have undertaken during their imprisonment, their current security classification, and a list of any further convictions they may have received from the time they commenced their sentence.
Registered victims have the right to make written and oral submissions to the Board. In accordance with the Parole Act 2002, the Board gives due weight to victims submissions.
Victims (as defined under the Victims’ Rights Act 2002), who are not registered under the victim notification system have the right to make written and, with the Board’s permission, oral submissions to the Board. Victims can also request information on hearing outcomes and be notified of hearing decisions and release or detention conditions that are of personal relevance. Furthermore, the Board may consider unsolicited submissions from the community.
|
2002-03 |
2003-04 |
|
|
Oral |
59 |
67 |
|
Written |
205 |
220 |
|
Unsolicited in support of victims |
204 |
469 |
|
TOTAL |
468 |
756 |
In some cases, a large number of unsolicited submissions received by the Board tend to skew these figures. These unsolicited submissions were made in respect of a small number of high-profile offenders who were eligible for parole.