§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Department's plans to review sentencing for women. [165137]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 1 April 2004]: While it is for the courts to decide the appropriate sentence in individual cases, custodial sentences should be reserved for serious, dangerous and persistent offenders.
The Home Office is taking forward the Women's Offending Reduction Programme over the next three years which seeks to address the range of factors that have an impact on women who offend. A primary focus will be on encouraging greater use of community-based interventions that are better tailored to the needs of women. The Judicial Studies Board will be invited to review training and guidance for sentencers to ensure that it includes gender specific issues; and the Sentencing Guidelines Council will consider the impact of the new Criminal Justice Act 2003 sentencing powers on female as well as male offenders.