New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Shane Alexander William CROSLAND

Hearing: 21 September 2016 at [Withheld]

Members of the Board:

• Hon. JW Gendall QC – Panel Convenor
• Mr LTawera
• Dr J Skipworth

Support Persons:

• [Withheld]

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Shane Crosland is serving a life sentence imposed on 5 March 1993 for the crime of murder when he was a Black Power prospect.  His parole eligibility date was 20 August 2013 which has been extended because of convictions in 2000 and 2013.  He was released on parole in 2004 then recalled in April 2013.

2. The Board when it last saw him noted that he needed to be tested in the community.  This was starting to happen but he incurred a misconduct on 19 May 2016 for smoking cannabis.  As a consequence he is IDU 1.

3. His aim is to remove the IDU status, return to Inner Self Care and engage in work outside the wire, with eventual Release to Work when he is deemed suitable by the Advisory Panel.  He does not seek parole today and realistically accepts that it will be at least a year before he could be a realistic candidate.

4. He has done all rehabilitation programmes but these did not prevent his cannabis use whilst in prison.  He needs to engage in one-to-one counselling to assist in formulating a release plan. We endorse a pathway forward which would, provided prison management agree, which would result in testing in Self Care, home or shopping leaves and, if available, Release to Work.

5. He is a long way from being ready to be released on parole and it is declined.  He will be seen again in the month of August 2017, that is before 31 August 2017.

Hon. JW Gendall QC
Panel Convenor