Directory
Sentencing bodies, courts, victim support, legal advice, and research resources
Understanding criminal penalties requires access to the right organisations, databases, and support services. This directory provides links to the most important bodies and resources for anyone seeking information about sentencing and penalties in England and Wales.
Sentencing Bodies and Regulators
Sentencing Council for England and Wales
The independent body responsible for preparing sentencing guidelines. Publishes definitive guidelines for individual offences, overarching guidelines on matters such as guilty pleas and totality, and statistical bulletins on sentencing practice.
Ministry of Justice
Government department responsible for the justice system, including sentencing policy, prisons, probation, and the courts. Publishes criminal justice statistics quarterly.
HM Prison and Probation Service
Carries out sentences of the courts. Manages prisons, supervises offenders in the community on licence or subject to community orders, and prepares pre-sentence reports for courts.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Independent inspectorate that reports on the conditions and treatment of prisoners. Its reports often highlight issues with prison conditions that affect the experience of custodial sentences.
HM Inspectorate of Probation
Independent inspectorate that assesses the effectiveness of probation services, including the supervision of community orders, licence conditions, and pre-sentence reports.
Courts
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS)
Administers the courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Provides a court finder, fee information, and guidance on court procedures.
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
The final court of appeal. Publishes all judgments, including landmark sentencing decisions. The court hears appeals on points of law of general public importance.
Judiciary of England and Wales
Publishes sentencing remarks from Crown Court judges in high-profile cases, alongside judgments, practice directions, and guidance on the criminal justice system.
Crown Prosecution Service
The principal prosecuting authority. Publishes charging standards and legal guidance for prosecutors, including guidance on what sentence to seek in particular types of case.
Victim Support and Advice
Victim Support
Independent charity providing emotional and practical support to victims of crime. Free and confidential, whether or not the crime has been reported to the police.
Citizens Advice
Free, impartial advice on a wide range of legal matters, including criminal proceedings, sentencing, and victims' rights. Available online, by phone, and in person.
Witness Care Units
Joint CPS and police teams that support witnesses and victims through the criminal justice process, including explaining sentencing outcomes.
National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (Nacro)
Charity working to reduce crime. Provides advice and support for people with criminal records, including guidance on the effect of sentences on future prospects.
Prisoners' Families Helpline (PACT)
Support for the families of people in prison. Provides advice on visiting, staying in touch, and the practicalities of a family member serving a custodial sentence.
Legal Advice and Representation
The Law Society: Find a Solicitor
Search tool for finding solicitors in England and Wales, including those specialising in criminal defence and sentencing.
Legal Aid Agency
Provides legal aid funding for people who cannot afford to pay for legal representation. Criminal legal aid covers advice at the police station, representation at the magistrates' court and Crown Court, and appeals.
Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit)
Charity connecting people who cannot afford legal representation with barristers willing to act pro bono, including in criminal appeal cases.
Research and Data
MOJ Criminal Justice Statistics
Quarterly and annual statistics on the criminal justice system, including sentencing outcomes by offence type, court, and demographic characteristics.
Prison Reform Trust
Independent research and campaigning charity. Publishes the Bromley Briefings factfile (comprehensive prison and sentencing statistics) and reports on sentencing reform.
Howard League for Penal Reform
Charity working for less crime, safer communities, and fewer people in prison. Publishes research on sentencing effectiveness, community sentences, and alternatives to custody.
Penalties.uk
Reference platform covering criminal penalties, sentencing guidelines, offence categories, and penalty types for England and Wales.
Sentencing.uk
Reference platform covering sentencing guidelines, offence categories, comparisons, and legislation for England and Wales.
Missing from This List?
If you represent an organisation that should be included in this directory, please get in touch. We aim to keep this directory accurate and useful.