The sentencing framework is kept under constant review by the Government. However, sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent courts in accordance with the sentencing guidelines, developed by the independent Sentencing Council.<\/p>
The Government created the offence of Controlling and Coercive Behaviour in the Serious Crime Act 2015. Since the offence came into force in 2016, the number of people sentenced for this offence has consistently increased, nearing tenfold. The average custodial sentence length has also increased from 17.1 to 24.4 months.<\/p>
In response to the independent Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review undertaken by Clare Wade KC, we have introduced legislation to create new statutory aggravating and mitigating factors for murders preceded by controlling and coercive behaviour.<\/p>
The Sentencing Council have recently consulted on making a similar change to the manslaughter sentencing guideline. The Council have also introduced the Domestic Abuse Overarching Principles guideline, which came into force in May 2018. It identifies the principles relevant to the sentencing of cases involving domestic abuse, including the offence of controlling and coercive behaviour. The Council is planning to review this guideline in 2024.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4798", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Bacon"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Bacon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-12-20T15:55:10.847Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-12-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Domestic Abuse: Sentencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the sentencing framework for perpetrators of coercive control.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "6535"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1675658", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1675658/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Sentencing Council\u2019s Overarching Principles: Domestic Abuse guideline, which came into force in May 2018, identifies the principles relevant to the sentencing of cases involving domestic abuse.<\/p>
The Sentencing Council is independent of Parliament and Government. It is responsible for the production and revision of sentencing guidelines, which the courts must follow, unless it would be contrary to the interest of justice. The Council regularly monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, and its assessment covers their operation and effect. The Council is planning to review this guideline in 2024.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4798", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Bacon"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Bacon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-12-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-12-13T17:07:53.207Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-12-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Domestic Abuse: Sentencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Sentencing Council's overarching guideline on domestic abuse.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4777", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Owen"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Luton North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Owen"} ], "uin" : "5425"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1183032", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1183032/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government publishes information on the Unduly Lenient Scheme online on the GOV.UK website, but we are also exploring how to increase awareness of this scheme to victims of crime.<\/p>
The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (Victims\u2019 Code) sets out a minimum standard of service and information that must be provided to victims of crime by the criminal justice system. We are currently consulting on a revised Code, which for the first time includes information for victims about the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4503", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Philp"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon South"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Philp"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-03-13T10:56:39.257Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-03-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Domestic Abuse: Sentencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to raise awareness of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme among victims of domestic violence.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4370", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jess Phillips"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Yardley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jess Phillips"} ], "uin" : "25680"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }