Draft guidelines to offer incentives for early guilty pleas could lead to overcrowding in prisons, a report from the Justice Committee has warned.
The proposals are designed to encourage those intending on pleading guilty to do so as early as possible, to reduce the impact on victims and save public time and money.
The draft plans maintain the current reduction for a plea at the first stage of court proceedings, one-third, with a lower reduction at a later stage compared to that currently available: one-fifth, rather than a quarter. The idea is that a defendant will have a greater incentive to plead guilty the first time they are asked in court.
However, the report suggests that limited research in this area means there is uncertainty around how defendants would respond to such changes.
It suggests that some defendants who have missed the first option to plead guilty may instead opt to go to trial, costing more public time and money and resulting in longer sentences. It claims that up to 4,000 additional prison places may be needed to account for the longer sentences.
Before progressing with the new plans, the Committee advises that further research is needed to understand what the impact will be.
Bob Neill, Committee chair, said: "There has not been enough research to assess the possible impact on prisons and other aspects of the criminal justice system. The Sentencing Council should conduct further research into the factors that influence a defendant’s decision to plead guilty, to inform a more comprehensive and robust reassessment of the draft guideline, taking into account costs and savings to all aspects of the criminal justice system, especially the prison population."
The government has announced new emergency measures to tackle the current housebuilding crisis in London and unlock tens of thousands of homes.
The Chancellor has appointed growth and productivity expert Dr Anna Valero as an Industrial Strategy advisor.
The Chancellor has announced a £500 million investment package to deliver growth in the Oxford to Cambridge Corridor and cement its status as
New data from Ordnance Survey (OS) will be used to support safe walking across Great Britain.
The government has announced new financial penalties for water companies who commit environmental offences.
Grantex is the UK’s leading supplier of specialist aggregates and producer of Premium Dried Sports Sand for High-Performance Synthetic Pitches.
Creating and maintaining an outstanding synthetic pitch starts with the right foundation. Grantex premium dried silica sand is engineered to deliver exceptional performance, durability and safety across a range of synthetic sports surfaces.
Join us for the landmark 10th Anniversary of the London Build Expo, the UK’s largest and most influential construction and design show.
Retail Supply Chain & Logistics Expo returns to Excel London across 12-13 November, once again bringing together the world of logistics, supply chain, eCommerce and retail innovation for two dynamic days of opportunity.
Every sport, from grassroots football to world-class tournaments, depends on one constant: high-quality playing surfaces and well-maintained green spaces.
Bauder marked a major milestone in its UK expansion with the official handover of a brand
At Words of World, we specialise in professional translation and interpreting, d
The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) and the Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA) have successfully completed a groundbreaking project aimed at exploring the future of cleaning. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the cleaning industry, reflecting a shared commitment to embracing innovation with confidence.
The Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) new framework on Language Services (RM6302), dealing with translation, transcription and interpreting, is live, running from 7th May 2025 to 6th May 2028.
