Victims’ Commissioner’s submission to the Sentencing Review 2024/25

In October last year, following a string of issues faced by the prison system across England and Wales (including a number of early release schemes and other steps introduced to ease these pressures), the government announced an independent sentencing review.

The review will re-evaluate the current sentencing system with the aim of never having to rely on emergency prison releases in the future and will be carried out based on the following three principles:

• Sentences must punish offenders and protect the public
• Sentences must reduce reoffending
• Expanding and make greater use of punishment outside of prison

Links:

• Government’s sentencing review press notice
• Calls for evidence (now closed)
• Government’s sentencing review guidance