Academics from the Faculty of Business and Law worked behind the scenes in a fascinating OU/BBC documentary about the process involved in hearing prisoners’ parole applications.
In England and Wales annually, about 16,000 of the potentially most dangerous criminals are considered for parole before the end of their sentence and around 4,000 of them are released into our communities.
There’s a lot at stake to ensure the public remain safe and in this new five-part series we get to see what goes on in preparation for the decision-making process on whether an offender is released from prison.
The first of this series, filmed over the course of one year with Parole Boards from across England and Wales, was initially broadcast on BBC Two on 20 February and is available thereafter on iPlayer following transmission.
The Parole Board, made up of 346 individuals, tackle questions that underlie the justice system around crime, punishment, risk, reform, and repentance plus morality.
The programme enables the viewer to see for themselves what goes into the process and explores what the panels must consider.
This involves hearing from witnesses who know the prisoner, the prisoner themselves, as well as other witnesses. It includes recounting the inmate’s background, past offences, and their time spent in prison to establish whether they have met the ‘test for release’.
The two Open University academics consultants involved were Senior Lecturer in Law, Dr Neil Graffin and Dr Sophie Doherty, Lecturer in Law, who worked behind the scenes advising on the series.
Sophie said:
“This is a timely series that highlights the decision-making process and legal test for parole. It highlights the factors that members of the Parole Board consider in making their decision, and uncovers the lived experience of imprisoned people, and the impact of criminal offences on their families.
“The series provides a detailed insight into the personal circumstances of the offenders leading up to the crime committed and their offending history, where applicable.”
Waiting for the Parole Board’s decision we see the prisoners’ families who want to see them finally home and victims’ loved ones who often want them to remain inside.
In the first episode we see Colin, 54, who has been in prison for 25 years for murder following a pub fight, and the victim’s widow who anxiously waits at home for the decision; plus serial fraudster, David, 58, who spent 40 years swindling thousands from women he dated.
This series was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by The Faculty Of Business And Law, with particular relevance to Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LLB) I R81, BA (Hons) in Criminology & Law I Q92, and Certificate of Higher Education in Law I T49.
- Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Head of Broadcast & Partnerships
- Academic Consultants: Dr Neil Graffin and Dr Sophie Doherty
- Media Fellow: Dr Alessandro Saroli
- Broadcast Project Manager: Matthew Ray
- Senior Broadcast Platforms Manager (OU Connect): Andrew Hudson
Supporting Online content:
Visit our Broadcast & Partnerships site, where you can find extensive resources and information on topics related to this series, including an interactive guide to the power of a parole board.
Picture credit: BBC/Raw TV
