Public opinion and understanding of sentencing

Justice Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 7 Jun 2022 Closed: 30 May 2024 Parliament page
In this inquiry, the Justice Committee will examine the public’s understanding of the current approach to sentencing in England and Wales. It will investigate how the public access information on sentencing and barriers to improving public awareness on how sentencing works. The inquiry will also consider public opinion on sentencing, … Read more
12 Recommendations
19 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Letter
2 Events
Activity timeline 5 events
18 Jan
2024
Report published
25 Oct
2023
Report published
31 Jan
2023
Correspondence
13 Dec
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
29 Nov
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Tenth Report - Public opinion and understanding of sentencing HC 305 25 Oct 2023 31 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
11 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Tenth Report - Public opinion and …
Amend Victims’ Code to provide victims with free access to sentencing remarks.
The current situation where victims have to pay significant sums to receive a transcript of sentencing remarks from the Crown Court is unsustainable. We reiterate our call for all sentencing remarks to be published (subject to the relevant legal restrictions). … Read more
Government Response
The government has committed to a one-year trial allowing victims of rape and serious sexual offences to receive sentencing remarks free of charge, and is working to increase online publication of judgments. However, it explicitly rejected the recommendation for all victims to receive free sentencing remarks due to financial implications.
Ministry of Justice
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13 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Tenth Report - Public opinion and …
Provide offenders, including children, with comprehensive information on sentencing and pre-sentence reports.
It is important that offenders understand the sentence they are to serve. Offenders should have ready access to information about the sentencing process, including information about pre-sentence reports at the earliest possible stage. Following sentencing, they should have ready access … Read more
Government Response
The government outlines an ongoing ‘Pathfinder to Improved Pre-Sentence Advice’ (PIPA) project aimed at increasing the volume and quality of Pre-Sentence Reports. However, the response does not address providing offenders with ready access to general sentencing information or hard copies of sentencing remarks.
Ministry of Justice
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Government Response AI assessment · 31 of 12 classified
Accepted 5
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 8
Deferred 13
Not Addressed 3
Total 12 recs + 19 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
31 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Edward Argar MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 24 January 2023, on follow up from 13 December evidence session
Parliament page