Lord Chancellor approves five-year reappointment of Parole Board member Beckie Agami.
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed the reappointment of psychologist Beckie Agami to the Parole Board for a further five-year term.
The decision was approved by Angela Rayner, who currently serves as both Deputy Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor. The reappointment will run from 1 February 2026 until 31 January 2031.
Parole Board members are appointed by ministers under the provisions set out in Schedule 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The recruitment and appointment process for members—except for judicial members—is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Appointments must follow the Governance Code on Public Appointments, which sets out the standards for transparency, fairness and merit in public sector appointments.
The Parole Board operates as an independent body within the criminal justice system. Its primary role is to assess whether prisoners can be safely released into the community. The board carries out risk assessments and works with criminal justice partners to ensure that decisions on release prioritise public protection.
In fulfilling this role, members review evidence from a range of sources, including prison reports, psychological assessments and risk evaluations. They then determine whether a prisoner’s continued detention remains necessary or whether release conditions can safely manage the risk to the public.
The Parole Board was originally established under the Criminal Justice Act 1967. Today it functions as a Non-Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
As a psychologist member of the board, Beckie Agami contributes professional expertise in behavioural and psychological assessment to parole decisions. Psychologist members play a role in evaluating the potential risks associated with a prisoner’s release and in analysing reports that examine behaviour, rehabilitation progress and the likelihood of reoffending.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that Agami’s new term will extend her service on the board for a further five years. Her appointment will remain subject to the regulatory framework governing public appointments.
Reappointments to the Parole Board help maintain continuity in the organisation’s decision-making processes while ensuring that expertise from different professional backgrounds remains available to the board.
The Parole Board continues to work alongside other agencies across the criminal justice system to support its statutory responsibility of assessing prisoner risk and protecting the public.