Publications
All information published by the Council, including the Council's business plans and annual reports, can be accessed on this page.
Further details about the classes of information published by the Council, and how to access that information, are available in the Guide to information published by the Scottish Sentencing Council.
Scottish Sentencing Council information pack (630kb)
This information pack provides clear explanations of the sentencing process, including who is involved, how decisions are made, and the different types of sentences available to courts. It also covers topics such as victim statements, and prison release arrangements.
This revised version of the pack was published in May 2026 to take account of legislative changes.
Scottish Sentencing Council media information pack (640kb)
The Scottish Sentencing Council's media pack provides information on sentencing guidelines and the overall sentencing process. This revised version of the pack was published in May 2026 to take account of legislative changes.
The Scottish Sentencing Council's response to the Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission call for evidence (506kb)
The Scottish Sentencing Council's response to the Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission call for evidence
Scottish Sentencing Council's response to the Criminal Justice Committee on recent statements to the Scottish Parliament (247kb)
The Scottish Sentencing Council's response to the Criminal Justice Committee on the statements made by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs and by the Lord Advocate to the Scottish Parliament on 10 October 2024.
Exploring unwarranted disparities in sentencing in Scotland (977kb)
A research report by Prof Cyrus Tata (University of Strathclyde), Dr Jay Gormley (University of Glasgow), Prof Melissa Hamilton (University of Surrey), and Prof Jose Pina-Sánchez, (University of Leeds).