Guidance

Victims Guidance

The latest revised guidance on victims.

• From: Parole Board
• Published: 21 February 2025

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Victims Member Guidance

PDF, 614 KB, 52 pages

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Victims Guidance - Annex A Victim Observers

PDF, 252 KB, 23 pages

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Victims Guidance - Annex I Panel Chair Checklist

PDF, 135 KB, 4 pages

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Victims Guidance - Annex II Panel Technical Guide

PDF, 272 KB, 12 pages

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Victim Guidance - Appendix III Information for Victims

PDF, 167 KB, 9 pages

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Victim Guidance Appendix IIII Confidentiality Agreement

PDF, 135 KB, 1 page

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Details

The guidance provides information on the Parole Board’s duties towards victims under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime which came into force on 1 April 2021 and changes introduced since the guidance was last published in February 2020. Topics covered include:

• Relevant legal frameworks
• The Probation Victim Contact Scheme
• Victim Personal Statements
• Reading out Victim Personal Statements at parole oral hearings
• Observing a parole oral hearing
• Summary decisions
• Routes of challenge

The Parole Board has also published the following documents:

Victims and Family and Friends of Victims – parole hearings: Information Leaflet

Victim Liaison Officers – aide memoire on parole

More detailed information about considering victim related licence conditions can be found in the Guidance on Licence Conditions.

Other relevant guidance that may be helpful:

The Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Act guidance

Parole Board member guidance on Restorative Justice

Observer guidance - private hearings

More information for victims can be read here: Our Commitment to Victims of Crime

Published 21 February 2025