Judges in England and Wales will gain enhanced powers next year to impose stricter sanctions on criminals who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings. These measures include up to three weeks of solitary confinement, bans on social visits for nearly a month, and longer revocation of prison privileges. The Ministry of Justice aims to ensure offenders face their victims and uphold justice, as current penalties such as fines or additional jail time have proven insufficient deterrents.
The changes respond to cases where offenders, including those convicted of high-profile murders, have declined to face victims' families during sentencing, leaving relatives feeling justice was incomplete. Victims' families and the Victims' Commissioner have welcomed the reforms as a way to rebalance power in the justice system and provide accountability. However, some prison reform advocates have expressed concerns about the impact on prisoners' relatives and questioned the effectiveness of the sanctions in increasing attendance.
Read the full story: BBC UK News.
Source: BBC UK News. Aggregated summary, not independent reporting.