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Deferred sentence

This is when the final decision about a sentence is postponed to another date for the offender to be of good behaviour during that time. The sentence is usually postponed for between 3 to 12 months. Other conditions can sometimes be added, such as attending counselling or repaying money. The sentence will depend on how the offender has behaved. If the offender has stayed out of trouble, then the sentence will normally be lower than if they get into trouble.

Detention

Detention is when young people are sentenced to custody and sent to a young offenders institution (aged 18 - 20) or secure accommodation (aged under 18), rather than prison. 

Determinate sentence

This is a custodial sentence where the judge sets the fixed length of time the offender will spend in prison, or in a young offenders' institution, before being released into the community. However, the offender will not necessarily spend the whole of this time in prison (see Automatic Early Release). 

Diet

The diet is the date fixed by the court for hearing a particular stage of a case. For instance a ‘pleading diet’ is when accused are asked to state whether they plead guilty or not guilty. 

Disposal

A disposal is the sentence or outcome of a criminal case.

Drug Treatment and Testing Orders

These orders are designed to assist offenders to reduce their drug use and related offending.

Originally published on 20 July 2015. Updated on 6 April 2026.