Policy Press

Sentencing Serious Sex Offenders

How Judges Decide when Discretion is Wide

By Diarmuid Griffin

Published

Apr 1, 2025

Page count

160 pages

ISBN

978-1529234732

Dimensions

203 x 127 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Apr 1, 2025

Page count

160 pages

ISBN

978-1529234749

Dimensions

203 x 127 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press
Sentencing Serious Sex Offenders

Addressing a lack of high-quality sentencing information in Ireland, this important book explores the factors that influence judges to impose a sentence of long-term imprisonment in sexual offence cases.

Judges have made it clear that sentences of 15 years to life imprisonment are to be reserved for offending that is ‘truly egregious’. Griffin, using a sample of 106 serious sexual offence cases, examines what this means in practice. The book is designed to be used in the classroom and the court, as well as providing a solid evidence base to inform policy-makers.

Diarmuid Griffin is Lecturer in criminal law at the University of Galway.

1. The principles of sentencing for sexual offences

2. Identifying and punishing a serious sex offender

3. Rationalising and recalibrating outcomes

4. Sentencing sex offenders to life imprisonment

5. The impact of legal constraints

6. Making sense of principle and practice

Appendix 1: Methodology