The new Imposition Guideline and the role of the Pre-Sentence Report at sentencing
This explainer discusses the role of the Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) in light of the Sentencing Council’s recently amended guideline regarding the Imposition of Community and Custodial Sentences (hereafter, Imposition Guideline).[1] The updated guideline includes greater guidance for sentencers on the types of cohorts of defendants for whom a PSR may be beneficial when they are […]
A (Re)View of the Future? What sentencing policy will look like after Gauke
By Ellie Cumbo Last week, the Independent Sentencing Review published its interim report. Although its scope is limited to just the first of seven themes that were set out in last year’s Call for Evidence, this encompasses the recent history of sentencing, including the key drivers of change during that time, and whether or not […]
Response to Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025
The Sentencing Academy has submitted a response to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025. You can read our response below and also an additional technical appendix that sets out further details on our analyses about sentence inflation contained within the response. Sentencing Academy Response to Independent Sentencing Review Technical Appendix – Plotting Sentence Severity […]
Sentencing Council, Sentencing Academy and The City Law School join forces to explore perspectives on sentencing
Leading experts in the field of sentencing gathered to explore important and current sentencing-related issues at a seminar jointly hosted by the Sentencing Council, Sentencing Academy and The City Law School on Friday 10 January. The seminar, now a biennial event, was opened by The Lady Chief Justice, the Council’s President, and its Chairman, Lord […]
Sentencing Academy welcomes two new members of staff
In what promises to be a busy year for sentencing in England and Wales, with an Independent Sentencing Review currently underway, the Sentencing Academy is delighted to welcome two new members of staff. Estella Baker has joined as Co-Executive Director and Ellie Cumbo is our new Director of External Relations. Estella Baker developed interdisciplinary expertise […]
Perspectives on Sentencing Seminar
The Sentencing Academy is delighted to be co-hosting, with the Sentencing Council and The City Law School, a day-long event – ‘Perspectives on Sentencing’ – on Friday 10 January 2025. The event will take place at The City Law School and will feature panel discussions on a variety of topical themes, including the Government’s Sentencing […]
Who’s in Prison and What’s the Purpose of Imprisonment? A Survey of Public Knowledge and Attitudes
The Sentencing Academy has published a new report, authored by Julian V. Roberts, Lilly Crellin, Jonathan Bild and Jade Mouton, that examines public knowledge of, and attitudes to, imprisonment. The report is based on a survey of 1,871 adults living in England and Wales. Read the full report here: Who’s in Prison and What’s the […]
Children’s Knowledge and Opinion of Sentencing
The Sentencing Academy has published a new report, authored by Professor Kathryn Hollingsworth, Dr Jonathan Bild and Professor Gavin Dingwall, that explores what children above the above of criminal responsibility know and think about sentencing. The report is based on the findings of a survey of 1,038 children living in England and Wales aged between […]
Roundtable on Children’s Knowledge and Opinion of Sentencing and Public Knowledge and Opinion of Imprisonment
The Sentencing Academy held a roundtable to launch two groundbreaking reports on public opinion and sentencing at City Law School on 16 September 2024. Professor Peter Hungerford-Welch, one of our trustees, hosted the event and we would like to express our gratitude to Peter and City Law School. Professor Kathryn Hollingsworth, University of Sheffield, started […]
Sentencing the Rioters
With the first offenders involved in the recent riots across England being sentenced to immediate custodial sentences, courts have now begun to develop the sentencing response to the disturbances. Sentences of up to three years’ imprisonment have already been imposed and we would expect many more similarly substantial custodial sentences as those involved come before […]
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Requisite and Minimum Custodial Periods) Order 2024
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Requisite and Minimum Custodial Periods) Order 2024 will be debated in the House of Commons on Thursday. This draft Statutory Instrument (SI) proposes a reduction in the proportion of most Standard Determinate Sentences (SDS) to be served in custody from 50% to 40%. The accompanying Impact Assessment paints an alarming […]
Coercive Control as Mitigation at Sentencing
By Professor Vanessa Bettinson Read the full paper here: Coercive Control as Mitigation at Sentencing Executive Summary: • Coercive control is a recognised form of domestic abuse under section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and it is a criminal offence to engage in controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship […]
