The independent Sentencing Guidelines Council published a final guideline applying to offenders found guilty of manslaughter, rather than murder, on the basis that they had been provoked. Actual or expected violence from the victim would generally be regarded as involving a higher degree of provocation than abuse, infidelity, or offensive words - so that women who killed their violent husbands or lovers would be treated more leniently.
Source: Manslaughter by Reason of Provocation: Guideline, Sentencing Advisory Panel (020 7035 5158)
Links: Guideline | SAP press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
The Sentencing Advisory Panel began consultation on sentencing guidelines in criminal cases involving assaults and other offences against the person. It discussed the relative impact of a number of aggravating factors, and whether it was possible to rank, in terms of seriousness, various types of offending behaviour.
Source: Sentencing for Assault and Other Offences Against the Person, Sentencing Advisory Panel (020 7035 5158)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | SAP press release
Date: 2005-Sep
A new book explored the role of community penalties in sentencing. It said that the absence of a strong intellectual framework or underpinning had hampered their development in policy and practice.
Source: Sue Rex, Reforming Community Penalties, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-May
A draft sentencing guideline was published on cases where offenders were found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder, on the basis they were severely provoked. The guideline recommended that, in most cases, even the victims of domestic violence should expect to go to prison if they killed someone: but it acknowledged that such offences should be treated quite differently to murder, which carried a mandatory life sentence.
Source: Manslaughter by Reason of Provocation: Draft guideline, Sentencing Advisory Panel (020 7035 5158)
Links: Guideline (pdf) | SAP press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
A new book aimed to provide a critical analysis of both political and professional developments in policy and practice relating to non- custodial penalties, taking full account of recent developments and the creation of a National Probation Service in 2002.
Source: Anne Worrall and Clare Hoy, Punishment in the Community: Managing offenders (second edition), Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Feb