The figures provided are for offenders considered for release on parole under sections 25 and 28 of the Parole Act 2002 and for offenders who have applied for release on home detention under section 33(2) of the Parole Act 2002 as it was in force before 1 October 2007. From 1 October 2007 home detention is no longer an option for the Board, which now only considers “transitional” cases.
The Board has a discretion to release an offender in these cases as long as it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that:
- in the case of parole, the offender will not pose an undue risk to the safety of the community or any person or class of persons within the term of the sentence
- in the case of home detention, the offender will not pose an undue risk to the safety of the community or any person or class of persons if he or she is detained on home detention rather than in a prison.
| Parole |
2002-03 |
2003-04 |
2004-05 |
2005-06 |
2006-07
|
2007-08
|
| Hearing volume |
2428 |
2480 |
3375 |
3845 |
4649 |
5377
|
| Number of offenders considered |
1631 |
1648 |
2296 |
2865 |
3454
|
3730
|
Number approved for parole
|
886 |
685 |
831
|
906 |
1125
|
1252
|
| Number revoked prior to release |
8 |
7 |
9
|
8 |
19 |
18
|
Some offenders released on parole may have previously been released on back-end home detention. Back-end home detention volumes are listed below. The parole release figures listed in the preceeding table include a number of offenders also listed as released on back-end home detention in the table below. The Board is required by law to consider an offender released on back-end home detention for parole once in every three months.
The Board may revoke an order for release on parole before an offender is released.
| Back-end home detention |
2002-03
|
2003-04
|
2004-05 |
2005-06 |
2006-07
|
2007-08
|
| Hearing volume |
531 |
900
|
1102
|
1230 |
1695
|
937 |
| Number of offenders considered |
431 |
709 |
816 |
913 |
1187
|
671 |
| Number approved for release |
173
|
286 |
278 |
362 |
476 |
278 |
| Number revoked prior to or after release |
1
|
18
|
18 |
5
|
14 |
|
Offenders released on back-end home detention will normally progress to either release on parole, or release on conditions, unless recalled or their order for release on home detention is revoked.
The Board has a discretion to revoke an order for release on home detention either before or after the offender is released, but may only do so after release if the offender applies to the Board to be returned to prison.
Early referral for parole under section 25 and 26 of the Parole Act 2002
There are 3 situations when an offender may be considered for parole earlier that the date on which they would normally become eligible to be considered:
- Under section 25 the chairperson of the Board may, in exceptional circumstances, refer an offender who has not yet reached their parole eligibility date for consideration by the Board, or
- The Minister of Justice may designate a class of offenders who have not yet reached their parole eligibility dates for early consideration by the Board.
- Under section 26 the Board may, either of its own volition or on application by an offender, consider an offender who has reached their parole eligibility date for release on parole prior to when they were due to be considered for parole.
| Early referral for parole |
2002-03 |
2003-04 |
2004-05
|
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08
|
| Hearing Volume |
42 |
11 |
3 |
2 |
10 |
6
|
Number of offenders considered
|
31 |
10
|
3 |
2 |
10 |
4
|
| Number of offenders approved for early release |
12 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1
|
Last Updated: March 2009
