One of the most decisive benefits of public engagement in the sentencing procedure is the fact that through public inclusion in the elite circles the legitimacy of the courts and of the sentencing process will be definitely enhanced According to Indermaur 2009 p 14 A publicly acceptable sentencing policy is one which can ensure accountability transparency and legitimacy Sentencing policy can be reformed and repair legitimacy by providing a co gent system for determining the sentence and also include the public into the process of developing that system At this point it is crucial to cite what is meant by referring to the broad notion of legitimacy in the field of sentencing The perceived legitimacy of the criminal justice system is founded upon the extent to which members of the public consider the decisions taken to be fair and reflect consensual values Roberts 2011 From this point of view the legitimacy in the field of criminal sentencing should be considered in relation to people's views and attitudes towards the current correctional system The issue of lack of confidence in the courts and the consequent perceived illegitimacy reflects that the courts and the judges are not viewed as legitimate transparent and responsive organizations in the public eyes Indermaur 2012 Based on this approach legitimacy is perceived as justified credibility Bennet 2014 and is strongly related to whether the outcomes of judges decisions are perceived by the public as legitimate
