What are sentences for?

One of the aims of sentencing is to punish the offender for the crime they have committed. There are other important aims such as preventing crime happening in the future so more people don’t become victims of the same offender.

There are five purposes of sentencing the courts must bear in mind when dealing with the vast majority of adult offenders. These purposes are set out in s.57 of the Sentencing Code.

• To punish the offender – this can include going to prison, doing unpaid work in the community, obeying a curfew or paying a fine.

• To reduce crime – by preventing the offender from committing more crime, and putting others off from committing similar offences.

• To reform and rehabilitate offenders – changing an offender’s behaviour to prevent future crime, for example by requiring them to have treatment for drug addiction or alcohol abuse.

• To protect the public – from the offender and from the risk of more crimes being committed by them. This could be by putting them in prison, restricting their activities or supervision by probation.

• To make the offender give something back – for example, by the payment of compensation or through restorative justice. Restorative justice gives victims the chance to tell offenders about the impact of their crime and receive an apology.