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Crime victims in England and Wales will be able to attend parole hearings to decide whether a prisoner can be released from prison.
The Reformation comes into effect today and is part of an initiative to increase confidence in the legal system.
This comes after a pilot scheme in the southwest and Greater Manchester found that the victims were “reassured” to see that the offenders’ process was detained before the parole board made a decision to release it.
The parole board judged or prisoners can be safely released from prison in the community and on which license conditions, such as Curfews. The independent body also recommends whether prisoners can be moved to an open prison.
One victim, known as Anna, who attended a parole trial during the Pilot Initiative, said the care of the panel gave her ‘sincere confidence’ in the way the perpetrator would be managed once it was released from detention.
It helped us to draw a line under the entire chapter, ‘she said.
Victims will not be able to observe the entire trial, as certain evidence, such as risk management, must be kept private.
The process also hears evidence of the behavior of the offender in prison and the work they do to stop committing further crimes.
Baroness Newlove, commissioner of the victims, said: “This is an important step towards the lid on a system that has long been closed to victims, which helps them feel more meaningfully involved rather than bystanders to proceedings.”
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Ministers are expected to have the power to refer certain cases to the Supreme Court for a second check, under new measures that are expected to be introduced later this year.
Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones said: “For too long, the victims of the parole system were closed.
“As part of our plan for change, we now give the victims the right to see how offenders are challenged when they get up.
“This government improves our legal system to ensure that it serves the victims better.”
The CEO of the parole board, Cecilia French, said: ‘I just understand how important access to information for victims and survivors is.
“This is an important step to achieve this and will play a role in our greater goal of reaching greater transparency of parole, while the process ensures that the process remains fair and effective.”
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