Sex offence and abuse victims surveyed on sentencing

Victims of sexual offences and domestic abuse are being asked for their views on sentencing as part of research projects commissioned by the Scottish Sentencing Council.

The research will gather data on victims’ experiences of sentencing, including how sentencing was communicated to them – as well as the factors they would like to see taken into account in a sentence.

The project will be split, with Dr Oona Brooks-Hay of the University of Glasgow leading research on sexual assault and rape, while Professor Nancy Lombard of Glasgow Caledonian University explores domestic abuse sentencing.

At the same time a third project, led by Dr Jay Gormley of the University of Glasgow, will explore public understanding and perceptions of sentence discounting.

Together, this research will help to shape the Council’s evidence-led development of sentencing guidelines.

Those guidelines are then publicly consulted on before being submitted to the High Court for approval.

In other work, the Council is currently developing a guideline on environmental and wildlife crime, as well as finalising its first offence-specific guideline, on death by driving.