1. The role of Psychologist members and Psychologist witnesses in the Parole Board process
Eleni Belivanaki & Sarah Khan
Specialist Psychologist members of the Parole Board
Division of Forensic Psychology Conference
Belfast 2013

2. Contents Introduction The Parole Board
The role of a Forensic Psychologist as a specialist member of the Parole Board
What the panel expect of Psychologist witnesses
Questions / comments

3. The Parole board Function / Independent body
What happens at oral hearings
Evidence of risk reduction
Can recommend / direct progressive move to Cat D or release
Cannot recommend specific therapeutic interventions / further treatment
Will take into account all written and oral evidence provided by OM, OS, Psychologists, Personal officers etc, as well as the prisoner

4. The Parole board
The test: “The Board will direct release, if the Board is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the person should be confined.
From 03/12/12
Abolition of the Indeterminate sentence for Public Protection (IPP), introduction of the Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS)
Parliament has ruled that the test shall be one of public protection rather than a balancing act between the risk of any type of offending against the benefits of early release; in other words, it will be a ‘risk-only’ test.

5. THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST MEMBER
Currently 20 Psychologist members, all on part-time basis
To provide a psychologically informed case formulation
To provide a specialist opinion on complex cases, for example when there is a diagnosis of MI, PD, ASD, LD etc

6. THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST MEMBER (cont.)
To provide a specialist opinion on risk
To review, analyse, critically evaluate and if necessary challenge written and oral evidence provided by Psychologist witnesses
Not all hearings require a Psychologist member on the panel (around 14% do).

7. What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses
To treat the oral hearing as a court hearing
To comply with their duty to the court and to remain independent and impartial
To decline any referral for assessments that are not within their clinical expertise
To be clear about their instructions and to make those known in their report and in their oral evidence to the panel (example: a cognitive functioning, ASD, LD assessment is very different to a psychological risk assessment)
To have shared their report with the prisoner and if possible to have included the prisoner’s comments

8. What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses (cont.)
To attend the hearing prepared (have read the dossier, know the case very well, know their report)
To be prepared to answer questions by the panel, as well as by the prisoner’s legal representative.
To provide an independent, updated, evidence-based, psychological risk assessment that will assist the panel in making their decision
To use valid and current psychometric tools

9. What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses (cont.)
To be able to explain how they have reached their conclusions and to provide defensible recommendations
To be able to comment on risk factors, protective factors and outstanding treatment needs / targets
To comment on risk level and imminence of risk
To make a recommendation as to whether outstanding risk factors should be addressed in closed conditions (Cat A, B, C), open conditions (Cat D) or in the community (release)
To make recommendations for risk management

10. What the Panel expect of Psychologist witnesses (cont.)
To provide the panel with a list of therapeutic interventions / courses the prisoner has completed (helpful)
If not involved in the prisoner’s treatment, to provide feedback from the treatment team
To avoid criticising, challenging or commenting on another Psychologist’s report. This lies within the role of the PB Psychologist member
To seek supervision and advice from a more senior / more experienced Psychologist for particularly complex cases

11. Questions Comments