Ethnic disparities in England and Wales

This is an event organised by the University of Leeds, the Sentencing Academy, and the London School of Economics, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

This symposium seeks to bring together researchers and stakeholders (practitioners, policy-makers, and third sector organisations) to discuss the latest evidence on ethnic disparities in sentencing in the jurisdiction of England and Wales, and its implications in terms of sentencing practice, public policy, and future research priorities. The event will review recent findings through concise presentations of under 10 minutes each. Following the presentations, participants will engage in semi-structured discussions, employing both structured polls to gauge consensus on critical issues and open dialogue to encourage detailed expression of viewpoints. Insights gathered will inform a short article to be published as a Sentencing Academy research bulletin. Only participants explicitly requesting to be identified will be included as contributors to this research bulletin.

Program

The first part of the event involving presentations of recent findings will be hybrid and the recording will be available after the event. The second part of the event involving discussion panels will be in person only as it will not be recorded.

11.30 to 12.00 – Registration

12.00 to 12.15 – Introduction

12.15 to 13.00 – Recent findings 1

13.00 to 13.30 – Lunch break

13.30 to 14.00 – Recent findings 2

14.00 to 14.30 – Questions & answers

14.30 to 15.15 – Discussion 1: How robust is the evidence-base? What are we missing?

15.15 to 15.30 – Coffee break

15.30 to 16.45 – Discussion 2: Policy and practice considerations

16.45 to 17.00 – Concluding remarks and drinks

Recent findings

Disparities in the Crown Court (Kitty Limperopoulou, University of Plymouth)

Article available here: https://academic.oup.com/bjc/article/64/5/1189/7612940

Ethnic and area disparities (Ana Morales, University of Edinburgh)

Presentation available here: https://josepinasanchez.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/esc2023_deprivation.pdf

Disparities between courts (Sara Geneletti, London Schol of Economics)

Disparities in youth justice (Ana Veiga, University of Leeds)

Disparities in sentencing factors 1 (Eoin Guilfoyle, Brunel University)

Article available here: https://academic.oup.com/bjc/advance-article/doi/10.1093/bjc/azae039/7708313

Disparities in sentencing factors 2 (Qi Chen, Brunel University)

Report available here: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Equality-and-Diversity-Report-FINAL.pdf

Disparities in previous convictions (Angela Sorsby, University of Sheffield)

Article available here: https://www.adruk.org/fileadmin/uploads/adruk/Documents/Data_Insights/Data_Insight_The_number_of_convictions_before_the_imposition_of_a_short_sentence_of_immediate_custody_ethnicity_and_gender_differences_August_2022.pdf

Perspectives from criminal barristers (Ana Veiga, University of Leeds)

Article available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/hojo.12496

Methodological considerations (Jose Pina-Sánchez, University of Leeds)

https://josepinasanchez.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/northumbria-5.pdf

Discussion 1: How robust is the evidence-base?

Moderated by Melissa Hamilton (University of Surrey) and Julian Roberts (Sentencing Academy)

What are we missing?

What are the areas where future research is most needed?

Discussion 2: Policy and practice considerations

Moderated by Eoin Guilfoyle (Brunel University)

Given the available evidence, what changes in practice and new policies should be considered?

This is a hybrid link and the below link is for those who can only remotely participate:

https://lse.zoom.us/j/86953709195?pwd=qa8WUGO8bOdkOsGhs9gI8vdEQh0fqd.1

Host or Publisher LSE Department of Statistics