The body responsible for deciding whether prisoners can be released into the community has no black members, it has been revealed.
Caroline Corby, the chair of the Parole Board, has said she fears unconscious bias could be behind the absence of black members and the low number of minority ethnic people.
Corby also said the board had suffered a “loss of confidence†following the case of John Worboys, the black-cab serial rapist who the board had deemed safe to be released after around a decade. The decision was later reversed by the high court.
Corby said she was concerned about the lack of diversity on the board, which consists of 240 members, 13 of whom are of Asian or minority ethnic background.
“At the moment we have no black Parole Board members and that’s of significant concern to me,†she told the BBC. “But in terms of addressing this issue, we’re very keen to have as many people with a BAME background apply to us as possible.
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