Sentencing Academy (Registered charity, number 1183958) Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2022
| Page | Contents |
|---|---|
| 2 - 5 | Trustees’ annual report |
| 6 | Independent examiner’s report |
| 7 | Receipts & payments account |
| 8 | Statement of assets & liabilities |
| 9 - 10 | Notes to the accounts |
Sentencing Academy Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 March 2022
Full name Sentencing Academy
Organisation type Charitable incorporated organisation
Registered charity number 1183958
Principal address
Bentham House, 4-8 Endsleigh Gardens, London, WC1H 0EG
Trustees
John Michael Hough, Chair Ian Peter Brownhill Hannah Sian Quirk Umar Malik Al Azmeh Bethany Currie, from 16/02/22 Orla Claire Myatt, from 16/02/22 Gregor Donaldson, from 16/02/22 Nicola Margaret Padfield, until 15/12/21 Ceryl Marsh, until 17/07/22
Independent examiner
John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL
Governance and management
The charity is operated under the rules of its CIO Foundation adopted 18 June 2019.
The Dawes Trust nominate one trustee for the duration of our funding agreement and the other founding trustees were selected for their relevant expertise in our subject area. Subsequently, new trustees have been appointed after an open competition with vacancies advertised on the Sentencing Academy's website and on the CharityJob website.
Objectives and activities
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To promote the prevention of crime and the rehabilitation of offenders for the benefit of the public by promoting efficient and effective sentencing practices, including in particular (but without limitation) by conducting and promoting research into effective sentencing practices for offenders in England and Wales and publishing the useful results of such research.
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To advance education on the subject of the sentencing of offenders for the benefit of the public, and to conduct and promote research for the public benefit in all aspects of that subject and to publish the useful results of such research.
Sentencing Academy
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit
We conduct and commission research into sentencing in England and Wales. We respond to consultations on draft sentencing guidelines with a view to improving these guidelines and engage in the policy-making process when opportunities arise. We use social media and our website to communicate with the public about sentencing issues and we also hold events that are available to the public.
Through responding fully to consultations on sentencing issues and engaging directly with the policy-making process we help shape sentencing policy and practice in a way that promotes the prevention of crime and efficient and effective sentencing practices. We conduct and commission research on sentencing issues which can further contribute to the prevention of crime through improved sentencing practices and this research also advances education on sentencing. Through our website, use of social media and bi-monthly newsletter, as well as the hosting of events that are open to all, we make this knowledge available to the public free of charge and in an accessible manner.
Public benefit statement
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.
Summary of the main achievements during the period
The publication of research has remained one of our key activities and we are grateful to colleagues across the research community whose work underpins our research output. Our most substantial publication during this period explored public knowledge of sentencing practice and trends, based on original polling we commissioned. We have also published reports on a range of sentencing issues: Ethnicity and Custodial Sentencing, Suspended Sentence Orders, Respect and Legitimacy at Sentencing, Defendants' Understanding of Sentencing, Intoxication and Sentencing, and Sentencing Domestic Abuse. Our bi-monthly newsletter provides regular updates on sentencing developments and we endeavour to make our outputs as accessible as possible to a wide audience.
During this period, we have undertaken two externally-funded research projects: a report on the use of deferred sentencing which was kindly supported by the Barrow Cadbury Trust and a literature review on mental health and sentencing for the Scottish Sentencing Council.
We have continued to engage with stakeholders across the criminal justice system with a view to furthering our aim to improve sentencing practice in England and Wales. This has included providing responses to Sentencing Council consultations and House of Commons Justice Committee inquiries and also participating in Select Committee evidence sessions. Working with other third sector organisations we sought to advance amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill during its passage through Parliament and we assisted the Bishop of Gloucester in organising an online seminar for members of the House of Lords in preparation for the Bill reaching the Lords.
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Sentencing Academy
We work to increase research and scholarship in sentencing, primarily through participation in internship schemes in conjunction with the Kalisher Trust and the Oxford Centre for Criminology. We have also initiated a thesis prize to recognise research produced by postgraduate students.
Financial review
COVID restrictions have impacted upon the expenditure of the organisation, its delivery and development plans. Reduced and remote operations have resulted in unspent income greater than what was anticipated at the end of this year. This does however postively support delivery and increased activity plans for 2022/23, new opportunities and planned growth. Moving forward the new remote ways of working will continue to be adopted which will have a positive cost benefit in the new financial year.
The surplus made at the year end is £15,844 with income received of £94,998 against a total expenditure of £79,154 demonstrating value for money given the achievements delivered in the year and reflects a lean staffing and overhead cost.
The charity’s policy on reserves
The secure financial position at the end of this year; limited expenditure and overhead exposure have reduced the risk and requirement for a reserves policy. However, we have recognised the fluctuating nature of the external operating environment and will be developing a reserves policy in the next financial year to reflect the change and risk.
Financial risks
We have identified, moving forward, the need to prioritise income diversification, securing multi year funding from a broad range of sources including developing income generation activities to help sustain and the grow the organisation. This will be one of our key strategic objectives in the new financial year enabling us to effectively manage and control this risk.
Plans for future periods
Looking ahead a number of key developments and objectives have been agreed by Directors as part of an interim strategic plan for 2022-23 and are as follows:
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Strengthen and develop the infrastructure of the charity to underpin and support future growth by Employing a Head of Operations to deliver against this.
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Develop initiatives such as a formal Advisers group harnessing external expertise to collaboratively achieve more ethical, efficient and effective sentencing practices.
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Devise and implement a new Communications and Marketing Strategy enhancing how we share our work externally alongside the launch of a new website and as part of our digital transformation plans.
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Expand the reach and engagement ability of the charity by hosting regional events across England and Wales, sharing sentencing research, data and findings with keynote speakers to improve public understanding and connection with practitioners, academics and researchers in the field.
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Sentencing Academy Review the purpose, mission and strategic objectives of the business in response to changing operaling environments to help sustain and grow the charity across the next three years. Diversify incom8 Streams developing new funding relationships and opportunities around commissioning. contracts and future collaborations alongside income generating activities. Formalise research and practitioner opportunities to act as a sounding board informing planned targeted ple5 of research in response to gaps and demand. Grow and develop links and contacts with the judiciary to better understand their needs and how our expertise and evidence led approach might be positioned to address. Create a model for a centre of excellen focused upon effective sentencing exploring inclusion of paroL8 and probation, providing independent information abots't the effectiveness of sanctions, and the sentencing process more broadly, contributing to a more cost-effective sentencing regime. Signed on behalf of the charity s trustees: Signed John Michael Hough, Trustee Date
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Sentencing Academy for the year ended 31 March 2022
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Sentencing Academy (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2022.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
29/11/2022 Signed ____ Date _______ John O’Brien MSc, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus
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Sentencing Academy Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 March 2022
| 2021 Total Unrestricted Funds Funds £ Note £ Receipts 87502 Grants & donations 2 86498 87502 Total receipts 86498 Payments - Advertising & marketing 415 65 Affiliations 65 36212 Consultancy 33630 - Equipment 699 2679 General expenses 7828 235 Insurance 239 818 IT 813 - Memberships 87 862 Professional fees 896 31487 Salaries, NI & pensions 25659 - Travel 393 72358 Total payments 70724 15144 Net receipts/(payments) 15774 135632 Cash funds at start of this period 150776 150776 Cash funds at end of this period 166550 |
Restricted Funds £ 8500 8500 - - 5650 - 280 - - - - 2500 - 8430 70 - 70 |
2022 Total Funds £ 94998 |
|---|---|---|
| 94998 | ||
| 415 65 39280 699 8108 239 813 87 896 28159 393 |
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| 79154 | ||
| 15844 150776 |
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| 166620 |
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Sentencing Academy statement of assets and liabilities at 31 March 2022 2021 2022 Cash assets Bank accourts 150776 150776 166620 166620 Other monetary assets Prepayment- IrtsLraw 176 176 154 154 Assets retalned for the charlty'8 own use GerEral eqlipmer CompLrter equipment PLKchased 2019, £2,238. Laptop PLKchased 2022, £699. Liabilities Creditors 52 1752) 773 773 These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by: Signed John Michael Hough. Trustee |/h1 Date
Sentencing Academy Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022
1. Receipts & payments accounts
Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.
2. Grants & donations
| Unrestricted £ Dawes Trust 86498 Barrow Cadbury Trust - 86498 |
Restricted Total £ £ - 86498 8500 8500 8500 94998 |
|---|---|
3. Funds analysis
| Restricted funds Deferred Sentencing Unrestricted funds General fund |
Opening balance £ - - 150776 150776 |
Receipts (Payments) £ £ 8500 (8430) 8500 (8430) 86498 (70724) 86498 (70724) |
Closing balance £ 70 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | |||
| 166550 | |||
| 166550 |
The specific purposes for which the restricted funds are to be applied are as follows:
Deferred Sentencing – to examine deferred sentencing regarding its current applicability for young adults through literature research and a case law review.
4. Creditors
| Salaries, NI & pension (pension) Professional fees (IE fee) |
£ 137 636 |
|---|---|
| 773 | |
5. Trustees’ remuneration
During this period, a total of £23 was reimbursed to 1 trustee for travel expenses incurred.
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Sentencing Academy
6. Related party transactions
- There were no related party transactions in this period.
7. Glossary of terms
- Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.
Prepayments: These are services that the charity has paid for in advance, but not used during the accounting period.
Restricted funds: These are funds given to the charity, subject to specific restrictions set by the donor, but still within the general objects of the charity.
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