Moves to give Parole Board more time

Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence today said the government will consider expanding the amount of time Queensland’s parole board has to make decisions on the release of prisoners.

Ms Spence said: “At present the parole board must make a decision within 120 days of receiving a parole application.

“The critical issue here is to make sure that the board has had the time to carefully and properly consider each application.

“Community safety is the absolute priority of the parole board.

“When considering a parole application the parole board often requires further information such as a suitable home assessment, psychological report or exit report from a program before it has sufficient information to decide on an application.

“If the parole board believes it requires more time to consider a case then the government will consider changing legislation. We are not going to have a situation where prisoners use the legal system to frustrate justice,” Ms Spence said.

Ms Spence said she was also examining amendments that will ensure a recent Supreme Court decision does not affect the validity of any Parole Board decisions made after 120 days.

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