Government hails newly created sentencing council

The government has hailed the creation of the new Sentencing Guidelines Council as a step towards "clearer and more consistent sentences" for criminals.

The Council, which will hold its first meeting today, will create and revise a comprehensive set of sentencing guidelines for all offences. It will enable all courts and practitioners to follow a common structure and to approach a case from a constructive starting point, applying detailed guidelines to determine the appropriate sentence, the government said.

In a change from current practice, the Council includes members of the judiciary, including the Lord Chief Justice who will chair the panel, as well as members with experience of the police, probation and prison services and victims of crime as well as representatives from the legal profession.

The government has said that it hopes such a broad representation on the Council will help to create "high-quality guidelines" that command the respect of the judiciary and inspire the confidence of the wider public.

The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said: "For the public to have confidence in the criminal justice system, it is essential that we have consistency in sentencing. People need to see justice being done in a way that commands their confidence and respect.

"The Council will create dialogue between the judiciary who pass sentences and the correctional services that have to implement them. This will strengthen the Council and ensure greater confidence than ever before in the quality of the guidelines."

Announcing the appointment of the judicial members of the new Sentencing Guidelines Council Lord Falconer, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, said: "It is important that the judiciary and magistracy have confidence in the Council and I believe that we have achieved the right balance on the Council which will enable this to occur."

The Sentencing Guidelines Council was set up under the Criminal Justice Act 2003.

(gmcg)