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<p>Sentencing is entirely a matter for our independent courts. The sentencing guidelines
specify ‘sole or primary carer for dependent relatives’ as a factor reducing seriousness
or reflecting personal mitigation. Courts must strike a balance between the legitimate
aims to be served by custody and the effect that sentence has on the family life of
others, especially children.</p><p> </p><p>The Probation Service’s Pre-sentence Reports
help the court in their sentencing decisions and consider the potential significant
impact of imprisonment on any dependants (including unborn children).</p><p> </p><p>There
will, however, always be some cases where the seriousness of the offending is such
that a custodial sentence is necessary. We want to provide the best rehabilitative
regimes possible to help break the reoffending cycle as we know maintaining positive
family relationships is an important factor in reducing reoffending.</p><p> </p><p>We
have worked to embed all 19 of the recommendations made by Lord Farmer in his 2017
review to strengthen family ties for male prisoners and have completed 25 out of 33
recommendations from his subsequent review focused on strengthening family ties for
female offenders.</p><p> </p><p>Our work includes requiring prisons to produce local
strategies setting out how prisoners will have access to family contact; introducing
a national families performance measure; and deploying secure video calling for families
across the prison estate.</p>
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