Sentencing Green Paper

Ken Clarke published the Government’s Sentencing Green Paper this week. Amongst other things, the proposals are to introduce a unified sentencing regime for all offenders, and to repeal various pieces of legislation that Labour never got around to bringing into force when they were in power. Also, a reduction in sentence of up to 50% for an early guilty plea may be permitted.

Also on the table is a significant reduction in the prison population partly by cutting the use of remand, and partly by increased use of community sentencing using private sector providers. We may also see the removal of minimum term sentences for murder, giving judges much more discretion.

Of course, a Green Paper is a consultative document, and interested parties can comment online as part of the MoJ’s “Breaking the Cycle” campaign. A good story for teaching legislative process, sentencing and law reform, all in one go!

New MoJ Site [24 Jan 2012]
Jury trial under threat…again! [17 Jan 2012]
R v Dobson & Norris [4 Jan 2012]
A Single European Contract Law? [31 Oct 2011]
Sentencing Stats [28 Oct 2011]
Sentencing - LIVE! [5 Sep 2011]
Bonkers bye-laws [24 Aug 2011]
Judges reading the Riot Act [19 Aug 2011]
Sentencing Reform Podcast [8 Jul 2011]
Poor set to suffer most from legal aid cuts [28 Jun 2011]
Government set to axe sentencing reforms? [8 Jun 2011]
Rehab, not revenge… [19 Apr 2011]
A British Bill of Rights? [23 Mar 2011]
The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back [3 Feb 2011]
Deterrence [26 Jan 2011]
Judge for Yourself [23 Jan 2011]
Breaking the Cycle of reoffending [20 Jan 2011]
Tweet Justice [21 Dec 2010]
We want pre-nup! [20 Oct 2010]
A “rehabilitation revolution” [26 Jul 2010]
The parole board [20 Jul 2010]
“Prison Works”... or does it? [30 Jun 2010]
Unlawful use of stop and search [24 Jun 2010]
Libel reform - new worksheet with video clip [24 May 2010]
Guardian Law [13 May 2010]
BCA v Singh [15 Apr 2010]
“I feel as if they have ripped out my heart” - victim’s justice? [17 Mar 2010]
You Be The Judge [10 Mar 2010]
The Angola 3 [10 Mar 2010]
Rights and Responsibilities Green Paper -video and worksheet [15 Feb 2010]
Community Payback - Video clip and worksheet [15 Feb 2010]
A Primary Example of Bad Legislation [3 Feb 2010]
Edlington, the age of criminal responsibility and youth sentencing [24 Jan 2010]
Great story for English Legal System revision generally… [7 Dec 2009]
New Youth Justice Site [4 Dec 2009]