APCC Criminal Justice leads comment on the Sentencing Bill

Following publication of the Government’s Sentencing Bill, the APCC’s Joint Leads on Criminal Justice, Danielle Stone and Alison Hernandez, said:

“Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and their deputy mayor equivalents understand the need for urgent and systemic action to tackle prison overcrowding in England and Wales and we support many of the measures in the Bill. The safety of victims and the wider public is paramount if we are to build public trust in the system. It is imperative, therefore, that those serving their sentences in the community are robustly managed, and it is right that those guilty of crimes such as domestic abuse will still face time in jail.

“PCCs, through our Local Criminal Justice Boards, commission many of the schemes to help rehabilitate offenders in the community. It is clear there will be a greater need for such initiatives – along with adequate funding to ensure they can be put in place. We look forward to working with our partners locally and nationally to make sure the required resources are available so that community sentencing and rehabilitation work effectively alongside one another to reduce crime.”

Notes

• Danielle Stone is Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire
• Alison Hernandez is Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall
• More information about the Sentencing Bill can be found on gov.uk and on the UK Parliament website