GovWire

This guidance is for Parole Board members carrying out Member Case Assessment (MCA) work. Every case referred to the Parole Board is required to go through the MCA process.

MCA has been described as a form of triage because each case, at the earliest opportunity (the point of referral), is considered by an accredited MCA member who determines whether the case can be concluded on the papers or sets out additional steps that are needed for the matter to be determined fairly and swiftly.

The MCA Guidance provides an overview of the MCA process, options to members undertaking this work, and detailed guidance on best practice addressing both procedural and practical issues.

This has been revised to reflect:

• The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022;

• The amended Secretary of State 2022 Directions on transfer of indeterminate sentence prisoners to open conditions;
• The Parole Board Rules 2019 (as amended); and
• The review of the Parole Boards paused policies.

This replaces all previous Parole Board guidance on MCA.