Accountable -- Don't Count on it

Response to an article in The West, 2 April 2005, p.19:

There has been some trouble in the Western Australian prison system: prisoners walk out of prison... Paul Murray writes in his opinion column that the Premier and his ministers should be responsible for the failings of the government-run prison system.

What rot!

The Parole Board meets to consider up to 80 requests for parole in one day. The head of the Parole Board denies this; it's only 65 in a day. Whoopee! So how many minutes discussion does each of these 65 to 80 prisoners get? Not very many!

One of the prisoners is a cold-blooded killer. He is also a convicted rapist. A primary school teacher can remember his childhood determination to kill people. He was found guilty, sentenced to death, commuted to life imprisonment. He is to be "held at the Governor's leisure", if I remember the correct phrasing.

Twenty years later, this prisoner is transferred to a pre-release program at a minimum security prison farm -- because the Parole Board is about to consider him for release. What?! Not even due for release, just under consideration -- and he is already sent to a minimum security prison. Guess what? He walks out... sorry, escapes.

Now this raises a few questions. Of particular interest to Murray in his column is, who approved the transfer to minimum security? The transfer was signed off by "two senior ministers and the Governor". Oh dearie me, government ministers approved this high risk transfer... Let's consider this more closely...

Sixty-five or more parole requests are considered by the Parole Board. It's a rush job but they have had time to read all the paperwork in advance. Is every one of these 65 decisions sent to the minister for approval? And the minister is expected to read all the papers and confirm each and every decision? Why? How?!

..o0o..

Thinking Lateral
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Or is it just the "difficult" decisions that are sent to the minister... The Parole Board decides, this is too difficult for us, we don't want trouble, we don't want more appeals... Let's just approve it -- but send it to the minister to cop the flak. Why should we -- the Parole Board -- take responsibility for the work that we are being paid to do?

The minister sees a list of names -- one, two, three... sixty-five? -- and thinks, Should I read all the paperwork? I have a lot of politicking on my plate... perhaps I should simply trust the decisions of the Parole Board. After all, it is their specific job, to make these decisions... And the ministers signs.

Who has really made the decision? The Parole Board have considered all the issues (we hope!) and passed responsibility to the minister. The minister has a broader responsibility -- and very little real knowledge of the system -- so takes the "advice" of the Parole Board.

The Parole Board has successfully avoided the responsibility for which it is being paid. The minister is currently avoiding the enquiry into what went wrong. The minister has ultimate responsibility -- but is the victim of a snow job.

What a pile of... political nonsense.

..o0o..

Independent Thinking
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