Burton Parole Review

Well Corrections and the Parole Board have both reviewed their actions with regards to allowing Graeme Burton out early on parole, and both have cleared themselves. What a surprise.

Stephen Franks is scathing of the reports, labelling them a cover-up. Go read his blog for a great analysis of the report. Stephen summarises the thinking of the Parole Board as this:

In other words, having discarded all the inconvenient evidence that Burton is dangerous, including the psychologists’ judgments that he remained a high risk, and the Board’s unavoidable knowledge that their conditions are pie in the sky, and the action of of prison officers in fear of Burton, then it is reasonable to decide that there is not enough evidence that he might be a danger.

The Sensible Sentencing Trust has also called the reports a whitewash. And one of Burton’s victims after he was released notes:

The board ignored information that Burton was facing allegations of serious assault in jail, Mr Rae said. And, even with the allegations aside, a psychologist had warned the board Burton was at medium to high risk of violent reoffending.

Yet the Government is claiming it was the right decision on the facts known???