Islanders back service orders

By Tom Edwards

ISLANDERS are backing community service orders as an alternative to prison sentences for criminals. The first person to be given one in Guernsey has now been sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court.

Maintaining coastal paths, picking up litter and volunteering at old people’s homes were some of the suggestions from the public.

Chief probation officer Anna Guilbert said it was early days but Guernsey charities were willing to embrace offenders being part of the community.

‘We have a whole range of local charities interested in having community service workers do work for them, either in the work parties supervised by the Probation Service or on an individual basis, where the charities themselves will supervise the workers,’ she said.

‘The work for community service is selected to be physically, mentally or emotionally demanding and Guernsey charities have proved themselves very willing to embrace the concept of offenders being part of the community.

‘As we have only just got the first order it is too early to make any comment on how it is going.’

A community service order is effectively a penalty on an offender’s free time.

The focus of the sentence is on the positive effect the offender’s work will have for their community and not the negativity of the punishment.

Extensive research carried out on a Jersey scheme over a number of years has shown that the sentence is very effective at reducing re-offending.

It allows the offender to keep their freedom, which in most cases allows them to maintain accommodation, employment and family links.

Mrs Guilbert said there was a possibility of offenders using particular skills they might have for community service orders.

‘If the individual was assessed and not considered to be a risk and the charity is happy, then there is the chance that this could happen’ she said.

‘We have to be careful that it remains charity work and not something that people are paid to do.

‘The States employs people to clean the streets, so therefore that would not be an option, for example.

‘But painting over graffiti and volunteering in old people’s homes are two examples that would be absolutely ideal.’

The Probation Service is currently on the look-out for a supervisor, working to the community service officer, in order to supervise small groups of offenders at the weekends.

* Anyone who is interested should call 724337.