Eligibility Criteria
An offender directed by the court to serve a term of imprisonment.
Entry Criteria
Parole Assessment Reports are provided to the New Zealand Parole Board for the following:
- Parole
- Early Release on Compassionate Grounds
- Residential Restrictions
- Imposition of conditions
Entry Criteria - Parole
Parole Assessment Reports are provided to the New Zealand Parole Board for prisoners who have been sentenced to:
- A term of imprisonment of more than 24 months.
- Indeterminate sentence i.e. life or preventive detention.
- A term of imprisonment and are not eligible for release on parole, but must be released on their statutory release date (i.e. sentenced for a serious violent offence, under the Criminal Justice Act 1985).
Full Parole Assessment Report
- Will be requested by the NZPB for all first appearances for prisoners serving long-term determinate sentences with a risk rating of A, B or C.
- For the first appearance of a prisoner with a risk rating of D or E or sentenced to an indeterminate sentence.
Subsequent Parole Assessment Report and Specific Parole Assessment Report
- Subsequent Parole Assessment Report and / or Specific Parole Assessment Report will be requested by the NZPB for prisoners who previously appeared before the Board but have had their case adjourned pending additional information; or
- until progress on their sentence plan is made.
Entry Criteria - Early Release on Compassionate Grounds
Early release on compassionate grounds apply to the following:
- A prisoner who is seriously ill, and is unlikely to recover [Section 41 (1) (b) of the Parole Act 2002].
- A prisoner who has given birth to a child [Section 41 (1) (a) of Parole Act 2002].
Policy Standard
- Reports to the New Zealand Parole Board (NZPB) are prepared in the approved format, and within the required timeframes (see Sentence Management Manual-Part 6 Prepare for Release).
- NZPB recommendations are actioned as soon as practicable, or within two months of the case being heard.
Prison Reports to NZPB
- Contain sufficient information to enable decisions to be made about a prisoner's release.
- Will be provided to Regional NZPB Administrator no later than three weeks prior to a prisoner's scheduled hearing for:
- Prisoners scheduled to appear for consideration of parole or Residential Restrictions; or
- imposition of conditions at their release date.
Prison Report Standards
- Reports are to be written in clear and concise language which identifies major points relevant to helping the Board make a decision.
Report Content
- The content of the report identifies whether a statement is a 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.
- Report findings derive directly from the statements contained in the body of the report.
- 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.
