People often tell me that they feel like the legal process is a distant and unapproachable thing, one they can't find out about or about which they can't gain an understanding. This is particularly so in crime, my area, where one might think that the need for clarity is particularly strong. Much of it - including, to our politicians' shame, the legislative process - often is rather opaque. But there's a good example of transparency.
The sentencing process in this country is informed by the Sentencing Guidelines Council, on advice from the Sentencing Advisory Panel. Their online home is here; the process by which they make guidelines is set out here; and a list of their guidelines produced thus far is here.
If only more of our regulations were as approachable as this.
