{"id":761,"date":"2016-11-08T15:29:25","date_gmt":"2016-11-08T15:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/voicenorthants.local\/myvoice\/?page_id=761"},"modified":"2016-11-22T16:13:56","modified_gmt":"2016-11-22T16:13:56","slug":"sentencing-after-sentencing-your-questions-answered","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.voicenorthants.org\/myvoice\/faqs\/sentencing-after-sentencing-your-questions-answered\/","title":{"rendered":"Sentencing & after sentencing – Your questions answered"},"content":{"rendered":"

These FAQ\u2019s are intended as an overview of some potential questions that you may have about the sentencing process and what happens after sentencing. For any specific issues related to your case or investigation please do get in touch with us here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n


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Who determines what punishment a convicted defendant receives?<\/strong><\/div>
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Judges, not juries, almost always determine the punishment, even following jury trials. In fact, a common jury instruction warns jurors not to consider the question of punishment when deciding a defendant’s guilt or innocence.<\/p>\n

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Why do outcomes vary by crime?<\/strong><\/div>
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Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary, who make their decisions based on the full facts of each case. These facts will vary for each case and therefore the outcomes (sentences) are also likely to vary. The crime categories featured on Police.uk are very broad and capture a wide range of offences and severity of offence; for example ‘violent crime’ will include common assault and murder. Therefore, the type of outcomes will vary considerably.<\/p>\n

HM Courts & Tribunals Service is unable to answer questions on specific sentencing decisions. If an individual is unhappy with their sentencing outcome they can appeal to a higher court.<\/p>\n

Out-of-court punishments given by the police can be a vital tool for dealing with low level crime in the community. That is why the police and criminal justice agencies are working together to ensure there is a clear and consistent approach which victims and communities can understand. However, individual decisions remain an operational matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service.<\/p>\n

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Do people convicted of the same or similar crimes receive similar sentences?<\/strong><\/div>
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Crimes\u00a0do not carry mandatory sentences. Rather, judges can take a number of factors into account when deciding on an appropriate punishment. For instance, judges may typically consider factors that include the following:<\/p>\n