Service Commencement and Completion
The service:
- Commences on the day that PS identifies an eligible prisoner on the Board Hearing Circular - Internal.
- Commences at least 15 weeks before a prisoner appears before the NZPB.
- Is completed at least 3 weeks prior to the date of the scheduled hearing.
Reporting Requirements
The Parole Assessment report must contain the following information:
- Current personal circumstance
- Sentence / offences
- Prison history
- Summary of current Risk of re-offending, and Rehabilitation and Reintegration needs
- Release proposal
- Proposed special conditions on release
- Recommended length of parole
- Service Centre to which prisoner is to report on release
Parole Assessment reporting may also include an oral presentation to the NZPB in support of, or in order to clarify the analysis in the written Parole Assessment Report.
General Reporting Standards
Reports to the NZPB should be to the timeliness and quality standards agreed with the Board and contained in the relevant Provider manuals and the Statement of Intent (SOI).
Reports must be provided to the following standards:
- The reports are clear, concise, coherent, specific and objective whilst identifying major points to enable the Board to make a decision on the prisoner's release.
- The reports must not be repetitive or contradictory.
- Report findings derive directly from the statements contained in the body of the report.
- The reports must identify whether statements are fact or opinion;
- If it is a fact, it must be verified and verifiable.
- If it is an opinion, it relates to specific material in the report, and it is specified whether it is an observation or opinion of the author or another person.
- Findings are to be derived from the body of the reports; recommendations are to address issues, be capable of being implemented and demonstrate that they will achieve the results required.
- Recommendations may derive from both facts and opinions. Where an opinion is expressed in a recommendation, it is to be properly identified.
- Recommendations:
- Address issues or problems found.
- Are capable of practical implementation.
- Demonstrate they will achieve the results required.
- Each prisoner is involved in the development of their report.
- Reports for the NZPB are provided at least 3 weeks before the Board sits.
Procedures for Reporting - Prison to Parole
A summarised outline of the process and responsibilities for Parole Assessment reporting is as follows:
- At least 15 weeks prior to a scheduled meeting, the NZPB prepares a Board Hearing Circular - Internal for each prison.
- The Administrator advises the PS NZPB Liaison Officer that the initial circular is available on IOMS.
- The PS NZPB Liaison Officer distributes the circular to the PCO Sentence Planner for the allocation and preparation of reports.
- PS will review the sentence plan and prepare the draft Parole Assessment Report for circulation to the CPPS based on the following responsibilities:
- Review the sentence plan file.
- Interview the prisoner.
- Review progress to achieving reintegrative needs.
- Review need for community-based support e.g. programmes and activities.
- Complete all required sections of the draft Parole Assessment Report.
- Present the draft Parole Assessment Report to the Manager of the CPPS Service Centre the prisoner will report to on release.
- Upon receipt, the CPPS Service Centre Manager allocates the draft Parole Assessment Report to the relevant Probation Officer who:
- Liaises with the PS Sentence Planner as required.
- Returns the draft Parole Assessment Report to the PS Sentence Planner.
- Has responsibility for completing the following components:
- Verifying and confirming the release proposal.
- Developing Proposed Special Conditions on Release.
- Recommending length of Parole.
- Noting the Service Centre to which the prisoner will report.
- The PS Sentence Planner completes the Parole Assessment Report by:
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- Receiving and reviewing the report.
- Discussing it with the Probation Officer as required.
- Ensuring that any proposed special conditions are included in the recommendations section of the report.
- Discussion with the Principal Psychologist where a Psychologist report has been prepared for the Board.
(Psychologist reports are provided for all child sex offenders appearing before the NZPB and for prisoners serving 7 years or more for violent or sexual crimes who have a D or E risk rating).
- Interview the prisoner.
- Encourage the prisoner to sign the Report.
- Signing and referring the report to the PCO Sentence Planning, who passes it to the Manager Sentence Planning.
- The Manager Sentence Planning:
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- approves the Parole Assessment Report before it is sent to the Parole Board.
- may provide written authorisation for the report to be signed on their behalf by Manager Custodial Services (MCS) or Assistant Prison Manager (APM) when they are physically unable to sign the report themselves.
Authorisation can be in the form of an email from the Manager Sentence Planning, which can be attached to the back of the report
Compassionate Grounds
Service Commencement and Completion
The service commences when:
- A prisoner who has given birth to a child applies for early release on compassionate grounds or
- A prisoner who is deemed to be seriously ill and unlikely to recover applies for early release on compassionate grounds.
The service completes when:
- A Prison Manager prepares a detailed report with recommendations for early release on compassionate grounds for GMPS (or duly delegated officer) and the PS Manager Service Support for referral to the New Zealand Parole Board.
- When PS Manager Service Support has handed in the report to NZPB.
Reporting Requirements
The Parole Assessment Report must contain the following information:
- Current personal circumstance
- Sentence / offences
- Prison history
- Summary of current Risk of re-offending, and Rehabilitation and Reintegration needs
- Release proposal
- Proposed special conditions on release
- Recommended length of parole
- Service Centre to which prisoner is to report on release
Parole Assessment reporting may also include an oral presentation to the NZPB in support of, or in order to clarify the analysis in the written Parole Assessment Report.
Procedures for Reporting
For a prisoner who is eligible for early release due to her giving birth to a child, or due to illness, the following report preparation process is undertaken:
- The Prison Manager assessing the prisoner for early release on compassionate grounds.
The assessment takes account of:
- The prisoner's security classification.
- The risk of re-offending upon release.
- The integrity of the sentence and public perception thereof.
- The views of the Community Probation Service in respect of living arrangements upon release, parole conditions, and any other issues.
- The possibility of a temporary release from custody under section 62 of the Corrections Acts 2004 as an alternative to early release on compassionate grounds, if applicable.
- ROC*ROI score.
- The safety of the public.
- For a prisoner who has giving birth to a child the following additional requirements are also included:
- The welfare of the prisoner and her child.
- The views (if any) of the Department for Child, Youth and Family in respect to the prisoner's ability to provide a safe and caring environment for the child and any other issues.
- For a prisoner seeking early release due to illness the following additional requirements are also required:
- The prisoner's medical condition.
- The welfare of the prisoner and their family.
- The views of the medical officer and any specialist treating the prisoner.
- The Prison Manager preparing a detailed report with a recommendation for early release on compassionate grounds for the GMPS (or duly delegated officer) and the PS Manager Service Support for referral to the NZPB.
