Chief bemoans parole refusals based on housing gaps

The number of young offenders who are refused parole because they have no accommodation is an “embarrassment”, the head of the Parole Board told the ­conference.

Christine Glenn, the board’s chief executive, highlighted the case of a young offender, supported by the Howard League for Penal Reform, known as “K” who was refused parole because no resettlement plan was in place.

Glenn said she was hoping to work with the Youth Justice Board and the Howard League, which is due to publish a report on children’s experience of the parole system shortly.

“Accommodation is a key element that very often goes wrong after release, where people are left scrabbling around trying to find somewhere when places fall through,” she said.

Glenn raised concerns over the lack of specialist guidance for the Parole Board on dealing with children and young people.

“It was just assumed that children would fit into the adult system when the board was set up,” she said. Glenn added that the board had set up a database of juvenile offenders to help information sharing. “We need good information in order to make good decisions regarding parole for children and young people,” she said.

Related articles
Essential information on youth justice

More information
Parole Board

Howard League for Penal Reform

Contact the author
Maria Ahmed