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JUST DESERTS AND COMMUNITY PENALTIES: THE 1991 CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT IN ENGLAND AND WALES

NCJ Number
142468
Author(s)
M Hough
Date Published
1992
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The 1991 Criminal Justice Act in England and Wales introduced a just deserts sentencing framework that emphasizes minimizing the use of imprisonment, substituting sentences with reparative and rehabilitative aims, and placing explicit constraints on sentencing.
Abstract
Main provisions of the act are a coherent sentencing framework, better structured and more demanding community sentences, reform of arrangements for release from custody, new presentence reports, unit fines, and strengthened provisions for young offenders in a new youth court. The act also specifies key and desirable features of sentencing, such as proportionality to reflect offense seriousness, the use of custodial sentences only as a last resort, the use of community penalties as the norm for property crimes, and the curtailment of sentencing on record. Community penalties include probation orders, probation orders with conditions, community service orders, and combination orders (probation and community service). 2 references