NCJ Number
47999
Date Published
1977
Length
29 pages
Annotation
THE FEASIBILITY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE BY OFFENDERS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SHORT CUSTODIAL SENTENCES FOR PERSONS OVER 17 YEARS OF AGE IS EXPLORED THROUGH THE PILOT PROJECTS INITIATED IN SIX PROBATION AREAS IN ENGLAND.
Abstract
THE AREAS WERE GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO INTRODUCE COURT-ORDERED COMMUNITY SERVICE BY THE 1973 POWERS OF THE CRIMINAL COURT ACT WHICH SUPERSEDED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT OF 1972. BECAUSE THE AREAS HAD DIFFERENT LOCAL PRESSURES AND DIFFERENT POLICIES TO ACCOMMODATE THESE PRESSURES, VARYING APPROACHES TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICE SCHEME DEVELOPED. EACH APPROACH INVOLVED ALLOCATING OFFENDERS TO PEFORM WORK PROVIDED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, STATUTORY AUTHORITIES, AGENCIES STIMULATED INTO EXISTENCE BY THE ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICE, OR BY PROBATION AND AFTERCARE SERVICES. OFFENDERS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE WERE SUPERVISED EITHER BY MEMBERS OF THE WORK-PROVIDING AGENCY OR BY FULL-TIME SESSIONALLY PAID PROFESSIONAL STAFF. THE SUPERVISOR, WHETHER VOLUNTARY OR SESSIONAL, IS CRUCIAL SINCE HE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH CLIENTS AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INTENTIONS OF THE COURT REGARDING OFFENDERS. THE USE OF SKILLED, NONPROFESSIONAL STAFF IS RECOMMENDED, WITH REGULAR CONTACT BEING MAINTAINED ON A WEEKLY BASIS BY WRITTEN OR VERBAL COMMUNICATION. ASSUMPTIONS MADE IN THE PILOT PROJECTS ARE THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE IS AN ECONOMICALLY BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO PRISON OR DETENTION CARE, THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE ALLOWS OFFENDERS TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THEM, THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE AVOIDS SOME OF THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF PRISON (OVERDEPENDENCE, LOSS OF DECISIONMAKING OPPORTUNITIES AND OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND LOSS OF STATUS), AND THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE GIVES OFFENDERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY. IN SETTING UP A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM, THERE ARE THREE MAIN TASKS INVOLVED: (1) TO GAIN COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROGRAM; (2) TO OBTAIN THE COOPERATION OF THE COURT SYSTEM; AND (3) TO INVOLVE PROBATION OFFICERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY. PROVISIONS OF THE 1973 POWERS OF THE CRIMINAL COURT ACT ARE ENUMERATED, AND THE ORGANIZATION AND EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED. APPENDIXES INCLUDE CASE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE PILOT PROJECTS AND A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM TASK LIST. (DEP)