As the Government announced the new Sentencing Bill this week, Chair of the Bar, Barbara Mills KC, said:
“The Sentencing Bill reflects many proposals put forward in the Bar Council’s submissions to the Sentencing Review including greater use of electronic tagging and a creative approach to sentencing by introducing measures such as depriving defendants of liberties by way of restricting access to pubs or sporting events. We are pleased that these proposals have been adopted by Government.
“The earned progression proposals rightly encourage better behaviour whilst in custody, whilst punishing those who continue to flout the rules. Prison should punish the serious and most dangerous offenders.
“Whilst the proposed investment in probation is necessary to implement such reforms, the need for the whole criminal justice system to be properly resourced still requires urgent attention. Steps have been made in the right direction but if the Government wants to meet its ambitious law and order agenda, it needs a functioning system from start to finish.”