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28 May 2020 / Monica Stevenson
Issue: 7888 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Criminal
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Happy anniversary?

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Monica Stevenson assesses the role of the Sentencing Council, a decade down the line
  • The Sentencing Council’s portfolio: proposed and existing guidelines.
  • Sentencing guidelines: transparency and consistency.
  • The Law Commission’s proposal for a Sentencing Code.

It remains to be seen what the economic fallout from COVID-19 spells for the state of the criminal justice system. Those working in criminal law could not have anticipated the way in which already limited funding might come to be further depleted.

The different elements which work to deliver criminal justice require political attention and money. The crucial assignment of sentencing criminal offenders is no exception. This month marks the ten-year anniversary of the Sentencing Council. A statutory body set up to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing decisions, it also has a statutory duty to carry out analysis and research into sentencing.

To mark the first decade of its work, the Council has announced plans to hold a public consultation on ideas for future projects and work. Any such mandate will of course

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group

NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group

From mowing lawns to life at the Bar: Stephen Ward reflects on an unconventional career

Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore

Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore

Commercial property partner joins Clarke Willmott in Southampton

Ellisons—Robert Tiffen

Ellisons—Robert Tiffen

Robert Tiffen joins Ellisons as Partner in growing Norwich office

NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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