The Agency told us how current sanctions often have limited deterrent effect. It considers that the only penalty that makes a difference to many waste criminals, particularly one from an organised crime group, is a custodial sentence, but even when these are imposed they are often not long enough to deter further crime. Fines are not high enough and are treated as business expenses by waste criminals.66 The Agency acknowledged that sentencing guidelines require courts to have regard to guilty...

The Agency told us how current sanctions often have limited deterrent effect. It considers that the only penalty that makes a difference to many waste criminals, particularly one from an organised crime group, is a custodial sentence, but even when these are imposed they are often not long enough to deter further crime. Fines are not high enough and are treated as business expenses by waste criminals.66 The Agency acknowledged that sentencing guidelines require courts to have regard to guilty individuals’ ability to pay, but asserted that larger fines, and more and longer custodial sentences, would act as greater deterrents.67 It told us that Type: conclusion | Number: 19 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: 4. PAC conclusion: The current sanctions are not effective in deterring people from committing waste crime. 4. PAC recommendation: Defra, the Agency and HMRC should work with relevant bodies within the criminal justice system to develop a plan for making enforcem