Public get a say on sentencing guidelines

Ensuring fairness and proportionality

The public will have a say on the development of guidelines that will influence the way offenders are sentenced.

The Scottish Sentencing Council is launching a public consultation on its first draft guideline, which sets out the principles and purposes of sentencing for all offences.

The council was set up as an independent advisory body to promote consistency in sentencing across Scotland, and preparing guidelines for the courts is an essential part of its work.

The draft guidelines set out an overarching principle of “fairness and proportionality” and a series of supporting principles that contribute to this.

The council said it has carried out research, consulted with judges and engaged with other interested organisations.

Council chairwoman Lady Dorrian, the Lord Justice Clerk, said: “The fundamental principles and purposes of sentencing have never before been expressly defined in Scotland.

“We believe that creating this guideline will have significant benefits both to the public and the courts, increasing consistency and transparency in sentencing.

“We are committed to taking an open and transparent approach to developing sentencing guidelines and the public consultation process is a vital part of that – we cannot complete our work in isolation.”

She added: “We welcome views and comment on all of our work, including on suggested topics for future guidelines.”

People can take part in the public consultation by visiting the council’s website before October 27.