Leading experts in the field of sentencing gathered to explore important and current sentencing-related issues at a seminar jointly hosted by the Sentencing Council, Sentencing Academy and The City Law School on Friday 10 January.

The seminar, now a biennial event, was opened by The Lady Chief Justice, the Council’s President, and its Chairman, Lord Justice William Davis. In a series of presentations and discussion, panellists and delegates examined a range of topical issues in sentencing.

A highlight of the day was a presentation from the Rt Hon David Gauke, Chairman of the Independent Sentencing Review and former Justice Secretary, who gave delegates an insight into his perspective on the Review and its priorities.

Questions about sentence inflation and its principal drivers, one of the Review’s key concerns, were explored in a joint session with former Council member Prof Julian Roberts KC (Hon), Executive Director of the Sentencing Academy; Rob Allen, independent researcher and co-founder of Justice and Prisons; and Ollie Simpson, Policy Adviser from the Office of the Sentencing Council.

The impact of sentencing on victims was discussed by Council members Her Honour Judge Amanda Rippon and Johanna Robinson, National Adviser to the Welsh Government on Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence, and Dr Jay Gormley, Criminal Law and Justice Researcher from the University of Glasgow.

Dr Gormley also gave a talk about effectiveness in sentencing. Drawing on two literature reviews he has conducted on behalf of the Council, he looked at what the evidence suggests is working in reducing reoffending and what offenders, the general public, victims and sentencers think effectiveness means.

The final session of the day saw Prof Peter Hungerford-Welch of The City Law School and Steve Wade, Head of the Office of the Sentencing Council, consider the five statutory purposes of sentencing and ask how are the five purposes prioritised and to what extent do the public know about – and accept – them?

Closing the seminar, Steve Wade, Head of the Office of the Sentencing Council, said:

“Effectiveness in sentencing and the causes and consequences of sentencing inflation are some of the most important topics in sentencing today. It has been an immensely useful and timely opportunity to bring together expert panellists and delegates to share their knowledge and expertise and, in doing so, broaden and strengthen our understanding of these crucial issues.”

Professor Peter Hungerford-Welch of The City Law School, said:

“It was a great pleasure and honour for The City Law School to host this seminar. It provided an important opportunity to bring together academics, practitioners and the judiciary to discuss sentencing and its impacts at a time when sentencing is very much in the spotlight.”

A report of the seminar will be published on the Council’s website www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk in due course.