Stages of the PRP Worksheet and Staff Responsibilities - CPPS

Timeframe

CPPS will complete the tasks outlined below within 4 weeks of receipt of the PRP worksheet from PS, and before the specified due date.

Note: The administration officer must check the area pre-release planning inbox for worksheets received from PS on a regular basis (at least once every two working days).

Filing conventions for administration officers

IOMS does not currently have the functionality to complete PRP worksheets, therefore manual processes must be used to maintain a record of the activities associated with the PRP worksheet.

Receiving the PRP worksheet

The following table outlines the initial steps to take when the PRP worksheet is received from PS.

Initial file review

On receipt of the PRP worksheet and supporting information, the probation officer must complete a brief file review of all information held by CPPS (including IOMS records, closed files, previous reports, the criminal convictions history, and the OWS check) prior to assessing the PRP worksheet. 

This review should consider:

• whether the proposals match the offender's level of risk
• whether the proposals are suitable given the offender's history of offending, current offending, and known CPPS history such as if an offender convicted of child abuse proposing to live with children
• indicators of risk
• potential sentence management issues
• any other issues that will impact on the suitability of the proposals put forward.

Note: A home visit is not required in completing the PRP worksheet.

Assessing the PS proposals

After the file review, the probation officer must assess the proposals and information put forward in the PRP worksheet by PS. This assessment will give an initial picture of the suitability of the proposals, and the level of planning and liaison that will be necessary to formulate a robust and realistic release proposal for the offender.

When assessing the proposals, identify and record:

• all potential risks or issues identified along with the reasoning, or a note stating there are no risks or issues identified
• any suggestions the probation officer may have to address a risk or issue that is identified or if the proposal is considered unsuitable. This allows the sentence planner to act on this or discuss it with the offender to formulate a more suitable proposal (eg, referral to Work & Income prisoner reintegration team)
• any further information required to formulate a robust and realistic release proposal for the offender
• any suggestions for further action
• a note regarding the overall suitability of the proposal.

Note: Record ‘nil’ if nothing further is required or no issues are found with each of the PS proposals.

Completing the RR checklist

The RR checklist section of the PRP worksheet is used to determine whether RR is necessary to mitigate the risk posed to the community by the offender if they were to be released.  The checklist is not the substantive RR assessment; this occurs as part of the parole assessment process. 

Complete the RR checklist if:

• PS has recommended that CPPS consider canvassing RR for the offender
• the offender is not OWS
• the proposed address is in an area where an RR scheme operates.

The RR checklist allows the probation officer to:

• record any additional information required by CPPS from PS in order to complete the appropriate RR enquiries during the parole assessment process
• convey information to the service manager completing the pre-parole liaison checklist on any identified significant or multiple concerns.

Considering RR

In order to determine whether RR are necessary, the probation officer will need to consider the following questions:

Previous history of compliance and prison misconducts:

• Has the offender previously complied with sentences/orders?
• What is the level of restriction or supervision that has been necessary to get the offender to comply with their sentence or order in the past?
• Does the offender have a history of failing to meet the core requirements of their previous sentences or orders?
• Does the offender have a history of re-offending while subject to a sentence or order?
• Does the offender have a record of any serious prison misconducts involving drug use, disobeying directions or attempted escapes from prison? (Seek clarification from the sentence planner if unsure about the seriousness of misconduct).

Risk of re-offending:

• Is the offender's risk of re-offending moderate to high?
• Has the offender's risk of re-offending escalated or dropped over time?
• How does the offender's risk of re-offending compare to the rehabilitative and re-integrative opportunities they have had in the past?

Pattern of previous offending:

• Does the offender have a pattern of offending that could be addressed through the use of curfews or full RR?
• Is the seriousness of the offending escalating?
• Is the offender's offending becoming more or less frequent?

Making an RR recommendation

The probation officer must recommend that RR is canvassed for the offender if:

• the information gathered about the offender suggests that parole without RR would be insufficient to manage the offender's risk to the community and risk of re-offending
• the probation officer has any doubt about whether or not RR is necessary.

If the information gathered about the offender suggests that parole without RR (but with other special conditions in place as necessary) would be sufficient to manage their risk to the community and risk of re-offending, the probation officer must not recommend that RR is canvassed for the offender.

Reviewing the PRP worksheet

After assessment, the probation officer forwards the completed PRP worksheet to the service manager to review.  The probation officer should also advise the service manager if any significant or multiple concerns are apparent, as they may indicate that pre-parole liaison is required for the offender.

Completing the parole liaison checklist

On receipt of the completed PRP worksheet, the service manager or other designated person must complete the Parole Liaison checklist.  If the answer is ‘Yes’ to any of the following three questions then the service manager must recommend and initiate pre-parole liaison:

• Is the offender OWS?
• Is the offender HRHP?
• Do CPPS hold significant concerns about the possible release of this offender?

Reference: Volume I, Part VI, Chapter 3 Pre-parole Liaison