Fair for the future update - december 2014

News story FAIR FOR THE FUTURE UPDATE - DECEMBER 2014 The Parole Board has implemented a new case management model, known as Member Case Assessment (MCA). IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW CASE

MANAGEMENT MODEL As you may be aware the Parole Board is in the process of implementing its new case management model known as Member Case Assessment (MCA). MCA will result in an early and

thorough analysis of the relevant issues in each case. This will enable the Parole Board to take a more flexible and proportionate approach to concluding the case in a fair and timely

manner, which should help us to make better use of resources and reduce avoidable deferrals and delays. MCA is replacing all existing paper panel processes, including Intensive Case

Management (ICM) and Single Member Recall Panels. MCA is being phased in gradually and so we will be running the old and new systems concurrently until March 2015. Draft guidance has been

developed for Parole Board members, and this is a working document. It will be amended and improved as we progress through the implementation phase. The final version of the guidance will be

formally published in March 2015. The guidance can be accessed here: Member Case Assessment - Guidance (MS Word Document, 955 KB) As part of the new process, we are introducing two new

templates that will be used exclusively for MCA panel work in the first instance: 1. PAPER DECISION FORM This is used for positive and negative paper decisions and is the same for any type

of case. This form is used for immediate release and release at a future date decisions, where applicable, as well as all paper decisions which result in the offender remaining where they

are. At the moment we are not changing the system for issuing these decisions – therefore all determinate recall decisions will continue to be sent exclusively to PPCS for onward

distribution and all other decision types will be sent to all parties directly by the Parole Board. However, we intend to implement a uniform system for issuing all MCA decisions regardless

of case type, from the start of the next financial year, which will mean that the Board issues all decisions to all parties. 2. DIRECTIONS FORM This is used for all directions issued at the

paper stage where a case is proceeding to oral hearing, as well as those cases which are adjourned or deferred later in the process. Preliminary directions will no longer be issued, and

where additional information is required before the assessment can be concluded, the case will be adjourned. The directions form now highlights more details relating to the panel logistics

for oral hearings, including the number of members required to hear the case and also whether the prisoner or witnesses can attend via video link. It is hoped that this will assist us in a

more proportionate use of resources across the system to deliver outcomes more efficiently and effectively. Accompanying all directions will be an MCA response form. This is an initiative

suggested as part of the End-to-End review project and will provide the prisoner/legal representatives and representatives of the SofS via PPCS to comment on the issues to be addressed at

the oral hearing, the directions made and to request additional directions or vary or revoke existing directions. NOMS colleagues must submit such requests via PPCS who will then process as

needed. The form is intended to flag up any issues well in advance of the hearing date, in order to minimise avoidable deferrals by early identification of relevant risk related issues or

panel logistics. NEXT STEPS MCA panels have now commenced and so these new forms will already be in use. These templates can be viewed here: MCA Decision form (for positive and negative

decisions on the papers): MCA - Paper Decision form (MS Word Document, 224 KB) MCA Directions form (for directing cases to oral hearing, adjourning or deferring): MCA - Directions form (MS

Word Document, 335 KB) MCA Response form (for the parties to submit comments or requests in relation to an oral hearing): MCA - Response form (MS Word Document, 223 KB) Once MCA is fully

implemented, these forms will be used for all Parole Board assessments and decisions from the MCA assessment stage through to oral hearings. We anticipate that these changes will require

some getting used to and we welcome your support in making these work as well as your feedback on how to make improvements to this implementation process. If you have comments or views on

this process please send an email to the following address: [email protected] SHARE THIS PAGE The following links open in a new tab * Share on Facebook (opens in new tab) * Share

on Twitter (opens in new tab) UPDATES TO THIS PAGE Published 11 December 2014