Lou HARRISON 15/2/2021

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Lou HARRISON

Hearing: 15 February 2021

at Springhill Corrections Facility

via AVL to Waikeria Prison

Members of the Board: Judge A N MacLean – Panel Convenor

Mr A Spierling

Ms C Tiumalu

DECISION OF THE BOARD

  1. Lou Harrison is before the Board for the second time on a sentence of seven years for sexual offending with a statutory release date of 21 August 2024.
  2. When seen before the Board last December he was scheduled for the ASOTP and he is now about halfway through that to finish at the end of April this year.
  3. There have been mixed file notes and some misconducts but more latterly the PCO confirmed his conduct is acceptable.
  4. We note that he was exited from the DTP but that was in the past and the assessment is that having done a previous AOD there were sufficient treatment gains from that that the DTP is not now recommended.  Instead, the proposal is that on release he would undertake an appropriate alcohol and other drugs focused programme.
  5. Once he has completed the ASOTP the plan at this stage is hopefully to move him into Internal Self Care and then get him into work on the prison farm to tie in with his aspirations to work in that area on release.
  6. The address (withheld) that he has put forward has been to date assessed as not acceptable due to the presence of many gang members and also a lot of children at that house.
  7. We suggested to Mr Harrison that he look at a backup option and to that end although (withheld) had previously declined him because he had not had any treatment, the case manager said they will be putting that up again for consideration.
  8. When Mr Harrison spoke about what he had taken out of the ASOTP he mentioned in particular the effect of (withheld) death on him.  We suggested that he explore with the assistance of his case manager getting some grief counselling for that possibly through ACC.  He is receptive to that.
  9. It is important that Mr Harrison maintains the current momentum and completes the ASOTP with good reports and then moves into the reintegration phase.
  10. The Board requests a psychological update for the next Board which will be in July including comment on treatment gains, his release plan and a reassessment of risk.
  11. Parole is declined.  The Board will see him again in July 2021 before the end of the month.

Judge A N MacLean

Panel Convenor