Pina-Sánchez, Jose and Gosling, John Paul and Chung, Hye-In and Bourgeois, Elizabeth and Geneletti, Sara and Marder, Ian D.
(2019)
Have the England and Wales Guidelines affected sentencing severity? An Empirical analysis using a scale of severity and time-series analyses.
British Journal of Criminology, 59.
pp. 979-1001.
ISSN 0007-0955
Abstract
Sentence severity has increased in England and Wales in recent years. The causes of the increase
remain unclear. One possible explanation relates to the introduction of sentencing guidelines,
which seem to coincide in time with the increase in sentence severity. To date, investigations of this
hypothesis have been limited to simple exploratory analyses or to specific offences. We use a new
scale of sentence severity—developed using Thurstone scaling and the participation of 21 magistrates—
and time-series modelling to explore whether a causal effect can be attributed to seven different
guidelines. We corroborate the existence of an increase in sentence severity; however, we do not find conclusive evidence pointing at the guidelines having caused it.
Item Type: |
Article
|
Keywords: |
sentencing; severity; guidelines; time-series; Thurstone; |
Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Social Sciences > Law |
Item ID: |
11732 |
Identification Number: |
https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azz005 |
Depositing User: |
Ian Marder
|
Date Deposited: |
18 Nov 2019 12:27 |
Journal or Publication Title: |
British Journal of Criminology |
Publisher: |
Oxford University Press |
Refereed: |
Yes |
URI: |
|
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