NCJ Number
18762
Date Published
1975
Length
88 pages
Annotation
COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS REPRESENT A SENTENCING ALTERNATIVE FOR A SELECT GROUP OF OFFENDERS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO PERFORM WORK THAT IS USEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THEMSELVES.
Abstract
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE SCHEME IMPLEMENTS, THROUGHOUT ENGLAND AND WALES, THE IDEA THAT 'PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMITTED MINOR OFFENSES WOULD BE BETTER OCCUPIED DOING SERVICE TO THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS THAN SITTING IN A CROWDED JAIL'. A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER CAN BE MADE FOR AN OFFENDER CONVICTED OF AN OFFENSE PUNISHABLE WITH IMPRISONMENT PROVIDED HE IS AGE 17 OR OVER AND HE CONSENTS. A COURT CANNOT MAKE AN ORDER UNLESS ARRANGEMENTS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PETTY SESSIONS AREA WHERE THE OFFENDER WILL RESIDE; THE COURT IS SATISFIED THAT HE IS A SUITABLE PERSON TO PERFORM WORK UNDER SUCH AN ORDER; AND THE COURT IS ALSO SATISFIED THAT PROVISION CAN BE MADE FOR HIM TO DO SO. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE EFFORTS OF THE PROBATION AND AFTER-CARE SERVICE IN THE SIX EXPERIMENTAL JURISDICTIONS TO FAIRLY TEST THIS NOVEL FORM OF PENAL TREATMENT. THE USE MADE OF IT BY THE COURTS, THE OFFENDERS THEY CHOSE TO APPLY IT TO, THE HELP GIVEN BY LOCAL VOLUNTARY AND OFFICIAL AGENCIES IN MAKING APPROPRIATE TASKS AVAILABLE, THE REACTIONS OF SOME OF THE OFFENDERS, AND SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED, ARE ALL EXAMINED. THE COMMUNITY SERVICE EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT THE SCHEME IS VIABLE AND ORDERS ARE BEING MADE AND COMPLETED, SOMETIMES, EVIDENTLY, TO THE BENEFIT OF THE OFFENDERS CONCERNED. THE EFFECT ON THE OFFENDERS AS A GROUP IS AS YET UNKNOWN; THE PENAL THEORY UNDERLINING THE SCHEME IS THOUGHT BY SOME TO BE UNCERTAIN; IT HAS NOT AS YET MADE MUCH IMPACT ON THE PRISON POPULATION BECAUSE OF THE MANNER OF ITS USE BY THE COURTS; IN PRACTICE A FEW SUPERVISORS MAY BE ABLE TO SUBVERT SOME ORDERS OF THE COURT UNLESS GOOD CONTACT AT THE WORK-SITE IS MAINTAINED BY THE PROBATION AND AFTERCARE SERVICE; AND NEITHER THE TYPE OF OFFENDER FOR WHOM IT IS SUITABLE NOR THE MOST DESIRABLE WORK PLACEMENTS FOR DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS ON COMMUNITY SERVICE, ARE AS YET KNOWN. (SNI ABSTRACT)