Parole.

[Toddlerteaplease]

Anyone watching? Really interesting.

I think you are being a little naive. Not many of them will have the type of mums/family that can keep them out of trouble they will come from chaotic and disordered households with family members who have various problems from mental health to drug addiction etc

Agree with you on both, this is exactly what we said.

I looked into becoming a parole board member a little while ago but I'm still not sure I could handle that responsibility.

Yeah that makes sense. I guess I am naive. It is difficult to put myself into that world. People are leaving prison and going back to the same friends, same bad influences and so the cycle continues.
I was just looking at the UK reoffending rates and it is approximately 25%. That seems low compared to what we have seen on Parole.
I'm not sure if this is normal but someone I work with, her son was released after 10 years in prison (drugs/violence) and he wasn’t allowed to get a job for 6 months. How are released prisoners able to move on in their lives if they aren’t allowed to work? Surely they will just go back to crime to make money? Again, I’m not sure if this is normal for all people leaving prison.
Sorry, I am really showing my naivety here but this programme really touched me.

@Sammysees people being released very often go to a hostel, where they have more freedom than in prison, but still have to follow certain restrictions.

This is particularly so in the case of violent prisoners, released on licence after murder or manslaughter charges.

If they then fail to cope with this, it's easier to recall them to prison quickly.

There was a tragic case in Scotland recently, where a murderer was released like this, and as soon as he was allowed out for the day, he followed a woman and killed her.

Addicts often need to be in places where they can be observed and tested, too.

It's not a case of opening the prison gates and letting dangerous people out back to the bosom of their families. The public still needs to be protected.

Thanks @TheShellBeach, that makes a lot of sense.

I’ve now watched 3 of the 4 series 2 episodes and my issue is that there doesn’t seem to be any continuity across the different prisons / boards and surely there should be some set criteria because it seems quite unfair to a lay person .

Can't believe Jeanette used to let a three year old out on her own.

@Toddlerteaplease and thought that was being a good mother .

Yes, I remember thinking exactly the same thing.
Unbelievable.

I thought Jason was plausible at first, but now thinking he needs to stay put.

Feel a bit sorry for Jeanette.

Right decisions made I think.

Jason needed to stay, he took no responsibility for the fact he was given a chance before and ran away.

Letting a 3 year old out by themselves was common in certain small estates. DHs parents used to let him roam around at 3 (not that they were a great advert for the practice as he got run over!)

DHs parents used to let him roam around at 3 (not that they were a great advert for the practice as he got run over!)

😂😂😂

I'm not sure Jason's business plan was particularly realistic, given the high level of trust people need/ tend to have in cleaners. Especially if working unsupervised. If his motivation was money, clients property would be an easy target.

Yes I thought that. And he said one of the risks of him re offending would be not having much money, which would be the case for quite a while after getting out.

They always seem to want to start their own business instead of the much more sensible and realistic and less stressful option of just getting an entry level job and starting from there.

The thing is, psychopaths hate working for other people, and they tend to have very unrealistic beliefs in their own abilities.

I really hope Jeanette does well.

This is such a great series. I have just watched Episode 4 and think parole board has made right decisions. Think episode 4 has resonated the most - a 16 year old making such a tragic mistake. But I was struck at how eloquent she was. I hope she manages to turn her life around. I really liked her

I dont know why I watch this programme as it just annoys me. Could see the end result for Adrian coming a mile off.

I was really surprised and disappointed by Adrian, I really believed that he meant everything he said about wanting to be there for his kids and stay out of jail! Good job I'm not on a parole board.

I wonder if his long suffering partner is still standing by him now he's messed things up AGAIN.

It's a good thing I'm not on the parole board - there are very few who appear on this programme that I would let out, and I certainly wouldn't have let either of this week's out.

I think the most interesting thing about this programme is the updates it gives you after someone is released.

Almost all of them are recalled to prison, often within a few days or weeks, usually for using drugs again.

That's why bail hostels exist. To see if released prisoners can cope with reduced restrictions.

And most of them can't.

I wouldn’t have let him out in the first place he’s obviously trouble they just can’t actually pin anything on him in prison . I’d love to know why he was recalled and if it was for visiting Birmingham as I imagine staying away was one of the many conditions .

Actually it made me think his demeanour was why he'd actually go parole 3 times previously despite on each occasion being recalled within a few days. He comes across as very sincere and reasonable which is why I think the parole board gets taken in by him. All that intelligence suggested he was involved in nefarious activities but he had a n excuse for everything. The title of the episode 'No smoke without fire' was certainly very apt.

I did actually feel a bit sorry for the other one where the Secretary of State refused his move to an open prison. I felt it would have been appropriate in his case although when they outlined the things he had done to his partner and he said, looking slightly bemused, ' I didn't consider that domestic violence' which is a worry. I desperately wanted someone to ask him what he thought it was but if they did it wasn't screened.