BELMOPAN, Belize, (CMC) – Chief Justice, Louise Esther Blenman, has announced the issuance of the first-ever sentencing guidelines for Belize, marking the first time in the country’s history that comprehensive sentencing guidelines have been issued, representing a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of the criminal justice system.

The sentencing guidelines were developed as part of the Senior Courts of Belize’s Three-Year Strategic Plan, aligning with the recommendations of the Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ) Academy for Law’s Needham’s Point Declaration on Criminal Justice Reform and the Criminal Justice Board.

These sentencing guidelines, when implemented, will promote consistency, transparency, and fairness in sentencing practices across the criminal justice system.

The sentencing guidelines were developed as a result of a collaborative effort by the Sentencing Guidelines Committee, established on December 4, last year, in the Office of the Chief Justice and the Sentencing Guidelines Advisory Committee, comprising distinguished Commonwealth jurists with vast experience in crafting sentencing guidelines.

“The introduction of sentencing guidelines reflects the commitment to modernising the criminal justice system in Belize. It underscores the Senior Courts of Belize’s dedication to providing clear and structured guidance to sentencing to judicial officers, magistrates, and attorneys-at-law aimed at reducing disparities and enhancing the administration of criminal justice,” according to an official statement issued here.

The statement said that the guidelines have since been published in the official Gazette.