Publications

The High Court of Justiciary has approved a new sentencing guideline which seeks to reduce reoffending among young people by encouraging rehabilitation. The sentencing young people guideline will come into effect in all courts in Scotland from 26 January 2022. It will apply to the sentencing of those who are under the age of 25 at the date of their plea of guilty or when a finding of guilt is made against them.

This document fulfils the Scottish Sentencing Council’s statutory duty to provide an assessment of the costs and benefits to which the implementation of a guideline is likely to give rise, and an assessment of the likely impact of the guideline on the criminal justice system in general.

A paper on a consultative exercise with sentencers across Scotland carried out by the Scottish Sentencing Council in early 2021, which seeks to identify any gaps or barriers to provision of community based disposals and to ascertain what might improve judicial confidence in community-based interventions.

The Scottish Sentencing Council’s response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on its proposals for the creation of a National Care Service.

Independent analysis of responses to the Scottish Sentencing Council's public consultation on the draft sentencing young people guideline by Alison Platts and Dawn Griesbach.