TOP judges are being reined in by ministers following a two-tier scandal that risked ethnic minority criminals getting softer sentences.
The Sentencing Council had sparked fury after it mandated judges to consult pre-sentence reports before imprisoning individuals from ethnic or religious minorities, young adults, abuse survivors, or pregnant women.
PAShabana Mahmood wrote to the Sentencing Council demanding the controversial two-tier justice scandal be scrapped[/caption]
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood wrote to the Council demanding the controversial changes be scrapped, but Lord Justice Davis, chair of the Council, refused.
In response, a new law was introduced in June, effectively blocking these guidelines from being implemented.
Under the Sentencing Bill, brought to Parliament today, both the Justice Secretary and the Lady Chief Justice will gain individual powers to approve any future guidelines before their release.
Ms Mahmood said: “Individual sentencing decisions will always be the responsibility of the independent judiciary – and this is something I will staunchly defend.
“However, policy must be set by parliamentarians, who answer to the people.
“Government and Parliament have a legitimate role in setting the sentencing framework. It is right that we now have greater democratic and judicial oversight of the direction of the Council’s work and the final guidelines they publish.”
The reforms will not interfere with judges’ independence in making individual sentencing decisions.
The landmark Bill will also introduce bold Texas-style reforms, allowing prisoners to be released early for good behaviour, serving just a third of their sentences.
Short sentences are expected to be phased out, with more offenders tagged to serve their sentences within the community.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
