142Purposes of sentencingE+W
(1)Any court dealing with an offender in respect of his offence must have regard to the following purposes of sentencing—
(a)the punishment of offenders,
(b)the reduction of crime (including its reduction by deterrence),
(c)the reform and rehabilitation of offenders,
(d)the protection of the public, and
(e)the making of reparation by offenders to persons affected by their offences.
(2)Subsection (1) does not apply—
(a)in relation to an offender who is aged under 18 at the time of conviction,
(b)to an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law,
(c)to an offence the sentence for which falls to be imposed under section 51A(2) of the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27) (minimum sentence for certain firearms offences), under subsection (2) of section 110 or 111 of the Sentencing Act (required custodial sentences) [F1, under section 29(4) or (6) of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (minimum sentences in certain cases of using someone to mind a weapon)] or under any of sections 225 to 228 of this Act (dangerous offenders), or
(d)in relation to the making under Part 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20) of a hospital order (with or without a restriction order), an interim hospital order, a hospital direction or a limitation direction.
(3)In this Chapter “sentence”, in relation to an offence, includes any order made by a court when dealing with the offender in respect of his offence; and “sentencing” is to be construed accordingly.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 142(2)(c) inserted (6.4.2007) by Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38), ss. 49, 66(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(2); S.I. 2007/858, art. 2(g)
Commencement Information
I1S. 142 wholly in force at 4.4.2005, see s. 336(3) and S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 7 (subject to art. 2(2), Sch. 2)