BURSTSociety of Black Lawyers calls decision to block pre-sentencing reports ‘deliberate step backwards’
Shabana Mahmood’s intervention to halt new guidelines on sentencing is “dangerous” and a “deliberate step backwards”, according to senior legal figures and prison campaigners.
The Society of Black Lawyers said guidelines from the Sentencing Council, which were suspended after an intervention by the justice secretary, were an attempt to achieve “equal treatment” after “racist two-tier policing for 500 years”.
At risk of first custodial sentence and/or at risk of a custodial sentence of 2 years or less (after taking into account any reduction for guilty plea).
A young adult (typically 18-25 years.
Female.
From an ethnic minority, cultural minority, and/or faith minority community.
Pregnant or postnatal.
Sole or primary carer for dependent relatives.”
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