The Sentence Administration Board (the Board) is established under the Crimes (Sentence Administration) Act 2005 (the CSA Act). The CSA Act provides for the Board's functions and powers, and a framework for the Board's decision making. There are three overarching principles that the Board must bear in mind when making its decisions: human rights, the public interest and natural justice.
Board decisions are subject to review by the ACT Supreme Court. Once legislated, the proposed Integrity Commission will have oversight of the Board and individual members. The Board provides an annual report which is publically available.
The Board has adopted a Conflict of Interest and Bias Policy to further support its independence and good decision making.
The Board's main functions as set out in the CSA Act concern parole orders and breaches, intensive correction orders, breaches and reinstatements; and release on licence and breaches.
There is a statutory requirement for corrections officers to report all breaches of parole, licence and intensive correction orders to the Board. If an offender is convicted or found guilty by a court of a new offence against an ACT or Commonwealth law that is punishable by imprisonment, the Board must cancel the offender's parole order.
The Board has the authority in relation to an offender who has breached their parole or licence to take various actions, including:
In regard to a offender who has breached an intensive correction order, the Board may give:
The Board is required to seek registered victim's views for some parole, licence and intensive correction order matters before it.
