home
Skip to content
  • About us
    • About us
    • Aims and accountability
    • Who we are
    • Meetings
    • Committees
    • Recruitment
    • FAQ
  • Sentencing information
    • Sentencing information
    • Introduction to sentencing
    • How do courts decide a sentence?
    • Community sentences
    • Custodial sentences
    • Maximum and minimum sentences
    • Disposals and appeals
    • Information for victims
  • Sentencing guidelines
    • Sentencing guidelines
    • Approved guidelines
    • Guidelines in development
    • How are sentencing guidelines developed?
    • About sentencing guidelines
  • Publications
    • Publications
    • Guideline judgments
    • Sentencing Statements
  • Research and engagement
    • Research and engagement
    • Consultations
    • Research
    • Engagement
  • Education resources
    • Education resources
    • Jargon buster
    • Myth buster
    • 'If you were the judge' case studies
    • Lectures and lesson plans
  • News and media
    • News and media
    • News
    • Scottish Sentencing Conversations Podcast
    • Spotlight on Sentencing Blog
    • Spotlight on Sentencing Circular
    • Videos
    • Contact us
  • ?
  • A-Z
Scottish Sentencing Council Logo
  1. Home
  2. Sentencing guidelines
  3. Methodology
  4. Stage 4

Stage 4 - Consulting on the guideline

Once the committee is satisfied with a guideline, it will be put before the full Council to consider whether we can consult formally. We must, by law, consult Scottish Ministers and the Lord Advocate before we submit a guideline to the High Court for approval.

 

We can also consult anyone else we think can help to make sure that the guideline is useful. We aim to engage with as wide and diverse an audience as possible in developing our guidelines. At its first meeting the Council agreed a public consultation would be carried out on every guideline.

We will start the public consultation process by publishing a consultation paper, along with a draft guideline and draft impact assessment, on our website.

The consultation paper will set out the background to the guideline. It will also explain why we’ve taken the approach we have in the draft guideline, and ask a number of questions about this. The impact assessment will set out what we think the costs and benefits of the guideline will be, and the likely effect of the guideline on the criminal justice system generally.

The consultation period will normally last for 12 weeks. But there may be specific reasons for making that period longer or shorter.

We are keen to hear from all those who want to comment on a guideline. This includes individuals as well as criminal justice organisations, charities, and other organisations which have an interest in the guideline.

We may also consult in different, less formal, ways with targeted individuals and interest groups if we think that could be useful.

 

Previous stage                               Next stage

Contact us/ media enquiries

 

Social media policy

 

Scottish Sentencing Council, Parliament House, Edinburgh, EH1 1RQ

Tel: 0300 790 0006 Email: sentencingcouncil@scotcourts.gov.uk
Follow us on social:
  • Accessibility
  • Complaints
  • Cookies
  • © Crown Copyright
  • FAQs
  • Jargon Buster
  • Privacy
  • Site Map
  • Useful links