COMMUNITY service allows offenders to make amends for their crimes, a probation officer has said.
The punishment also benefits a wide variety of local charities and not-for-profit organisations that need additional manpower.
Community service manager Laurence Hill-Tout (pictured) said the scheme had been a huge success since it was implemented three years ago on a pilot basis.
The States will decide at the end of the month whether community service orders should become a permanent option for the island’s courts.
‘We have worked with so many beneficiaries,’ Mr Hill-Tout said. ‘It’s been absolutely superb. We have worked with organisations ranging from animal sanctuaries to sporting clubs and charity shops.’
He said offenders were currently working with a domestic abuse charity to help with preparations for the international White Ribbon Day, which seeks to raise awareness of violence against women.
‘What they need is volunteers to cut the ribbons to size,’ he said. ‘It’s a very labour-intensive task which that particular charity does not have time to do because they are all volunteers.
‘So they have asked the community service offenders to do it. It then enables the volunteers organising the day to focus on running the day. That’s just an example of the sort of labour-intensive job that can be done.’
Mr Hill-Tout said community service had a variety of benefits for the island and offenders.
‘It’s payback for the offence committed,’ he said. ‘It’s a chance for reparation. However, it is a two-pronged benefit because the offender also gains from it.’
He said the scheme got any offenders who had been unemployed for a long time back into a working environment.
‘They all hopefully learn the value of a good session of work, skills and teamwork, communication, and responsibility,’ he said.
Community service orders were introduced as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence. The scheme costs £1,077 per offender, compared to £33,433 per prison place.
‘The majority, I would say 99% of offenders, think it’s great that they are not in prison,’ Mr Hill-Tout said.
‘But they realise there is a big commitment to completing the orders.’
Article posted on 10th November, 2009 - 2.29pm
One Article Comment
Totally agree, and community service orders I feel are the first step of integrating an offender back into the community and where they can take pride in their contribution on the assigned project.
I hope that the ability to use community service orders continues with the States voting in favour of making this permanent.
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