Given the potential importance of public opinion in influencing sentencing policy, the Government should consider adopting a structured engagement plan to gather information on the public’s views on sentencing. Whilst we recognise the value of public polling exercises, we recommend caution be exercised in relying exclusively on the findings of ad hoc polls as an evidence base for sentencing policy decisions. The MoJ should conduct regular, structured, deliberative engagement exercises with members of the public as part of its policy development process. The Sentencing Council should also consider whether it could use structured deliberative engagement exercises as part of its public engagement work and as part of its consultations on draft guidelines, including a full range of offending scenarios, such as violent and sexual offending, if relevant.