Parole

A very illuminating window into how worthies determine those safe to return to our streets, and the thoughts and anxieties of prisoners seeking this privilege.

A third (perhaps originally unintended) fascination arises from the outdated views of some Board members.

One, in whose gift a man's freedom lies, damns his behaviour saying: "He fired a gun with women... in the vicinity," and goes on to clarify that she will assess him as more dangerous than if all bystanders had happened to be male. And a life-prisoner's release to his long-term partner is, in part, justified with: "The love of a good woman is actually a protective factor." Any prisoner whose "index offence" endangered a woman rather than mere men, or who now seeks release to the safekeeping of a male partners must sweat in the cell, hoping that his or her future life will be decided by strangers untainted by such sexism and homophobia.