Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission: call for evidence

Overview

This Call for Evidence aims to gather written evidence and views to inform the work of the independent Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission. The Call for Evidence is open for 6 weeks, from 15 April until 25 May 2025.

The Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission was established in February 2025 to consider how imprisonment and community-based interventions are used in Scotland and ensure that it has a sustainable prison population. The Commission will make recommendations for improvements in how offending behaviour can be dealt with the underlying aim of ensuring less crime, fewer victims, and safer communities.

In order to support the Commission we are launching a Call for Evidence where you can share written evidence on the Commission’s initial areas of focus in line with the Terms of Reference:

• Theme 1: Community sentencing
• Theme 2: Bail and remand
• Theme 3: Release from prison custody
• Theme 4: Making progress on past recommendations and implementation

The evidence provided will be considered and used to assist the Chair and Commissioners in developing recommendations. The Commission will present a final report and recommendations to the Scottish Government before the end of 2025 and any evidence submitted to this call may be referenced in a final report unless individuals indicate they do not with their response to be made public. A summary of the responses to this Call for Evidence will be published separately.

Please note that the Commission cannot address specific cases and individual concerns and comments about these should be directed to the relevant public body.