NCJ Number
136456
Date Published
1991
Length
300 pages
Annotation
This guide to the Criminal Justice Act of 1991 interprets and explains the impact of the legislation.
Abstract
The main emphasis of the criminal justice reforms include consistent guidelines for sentencing, changes in the parole system, and introduction of a broad range of community penalties. This legislation is based on proposals in a White Paper which called for proportionality as the guiding criterion for sentencing and less emphasis on deterrence based sanctions. According to the White Paper, the judiciary determines the severity of sanctions, but sentencers would be required to determine form and length of a sentence. Reflecting governmental policy, the White Paper proposes use of custody for only serious cases while stressing alternatives to custodial sentences for those convicted of less serious crimes. Other changes in the Act include admissibility of video interviews as evidence in child-related cases, electronic monitoring of offenders, introduction of curfew orders, and fining offenders a proportion of their disposable income. Included is a copy of the Criminal Justice Act. 2 tables