*Closes 06th November*

Role description

Members will be expected to play an active role on the Sentencing Council.  The responsibilities of members are to:
  • Deal with complex issues and analysis concerning the approach to sentencing and the guidance to be issued to courts.  This may be guidance for sentencing particular types of offences (for example, motoring, blackmail or animal cruelty offences) or for crosscutting issues (for example, the significance of previous convictions, or guidance on sentencing cases involving domestic abuse).
  • Members will also need to contribute to discussion about the identification and analysis of relevant research and data.
  • Members are expected to make a positive contribution to the efficient and effective delivery of the Council’s statutory functions and the priorities identified in its business plans and to support the Chair.
  • Members will be able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the issues relevant to the work of the Council, both broadly and relating to their area of expertise, and the capacity to develop that understanding further quickly and effectively.
  • Members with professional skills or experience in governance; analysis and research methodologies; or communications, confidence and media relations may be expected to attend and participate in one or more of the sub-groups of the Council which focus on these issues.

Non-Judicial Members of the Sentencing Council

Number of vacancies x 2

Time commitment x 36 day(s) per annum

Remuneration £12600 per annum

Length of term 3 years

Application deadline 3pm on 6 November 2024

Organisation description

The Sentencing Council (SC) was set up under Section 118(1) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, whilst maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The SC’s responsibilities include developing sentencing guidelines and monitoring their use, assessing the impact of guidelines on sentencing practice, and promoting the understanding of and increasing public confidence in sentencing and the criminal justice system.

Board composition

Paragraph 1 of Schedule 15 to the Act provides that the SC consists of eight judicial members, appointed by the Lady Chief Justice with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor, and six non-judicial members appointed by the Lord Chancellor with the agreement of the LadyChief Justice. A person is eligible for appointment as a non-judicial member if the person appears to the Lord Chancellor to have experience in one or more of the following areas; criminal defence, criminal prosecution, policing, sentencing policy, use of statistics, academic study, the promotion of the welfare of victims of crime or the rehabilitation of offenders.

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

Person specification

Essential criteria

  • One role requires experience or understanding of the academic study or research relating to criminal law or criminology;
  • One role requires experience or understanding of the rehabilitation of offenders;
  • An understanding of the five core principles of sentencing: punishment, reduction of crime, reparation, rehabilitation and public protection;
  • The ability to serve in a personal capacity, drawing on your knowledge and experience, and not as a representative of particular professional associations or viewpoints, to be objective and open-minded, and be able and willing to work as part of a team under the general direction of the Chair, as well as supporting the Chair; and
  • The ability to retain the confidence of the Sentencing Council Chair, Ministers, Parliament, the judiciary, other professional bodies in the criminal justice system and the public.

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on ‘apply for this role’ and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

  • a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • a supporting statement
  • equality information
  • information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

If apply online is disabled

In order to apply you will need to provide:

  1. A  Curriculum Vitae which provides your contact details, details of your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any relevant publications or awards;

  2. A supporting statement setting out how you meet the criteria for appointment, as set out in the person specification for the role;

  3. Information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues;

  4. Diversity monitoring information. This allows us to see if there are any unfair barriers to becoming a public appointee and whether there are any changes that we could make to encourage a more diverse field to apply. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview panel;

  5. Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;

  6. Reasonable adjustments – requests for reasonable adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable);

Please provide the information at points 3-6 above on the relevant form, or as part of your supporting statement.

Completed applications should be submitted to  [ADD CONTACT DETAILS]

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.