Parole board hearing held for the first time

The National National

A PAROLE board hearing was held for the first time at the Kerevat Correctional Institution in East New Britain on Saturday and Sunday.
The board members, headed by chairman and Justice and Attorney-General Department secretary Dr Eric Kwa, were officially welcomed by a parade conducted by the Kerevat CS officials.
The Parole Board conducted its hearing which gave the opportunity for victims and relatives to air their views.
Kwa said parole is not a right but a privilege given to prisoners after serving more than half of their term in prison, and had gone through rehabilitation programmes.
The main objectives of parole is to:

  • Allow prisoner’s with a good chance of rehabilitation to be released from prison under strict supervision with certain mandatory and additional conditions to comply with;
  • assist prisoners in their efforts to successfully reintegrated into the community after being imprisoned for an offence; and,
  • Help decrease the incidence of recidivism (repeat offenders).