Community Payback
You, the public, are the bedrock of our Criminal Justice System – whether as jurors, magistrates or witnesses, or as ordinary citizens abiding by the law of the land and setting an example for your children and others around them. Your confidence in the system is critical to its success.
Last year a major review examining how to better engage communities in the fight against crime and raise public confidence in the Criminal Justice System was carried out which involved an in-depth, eight-month study headed by Louise Casey, former head of the Government’s Respect Task Force. The review made over 30 common-sense proposals to reduce crime, create safer communities and increase public confidence. The findings were strongly influenced by the views of nearly 15,000 ordinary members of the public and front-line staff.
The starting point for the review was that without public action, support and confidence, the police and other criminal justice agencies cannot make communities safer. However, it was clear that for the public to play their part, they need to see and experience services that tackle crime effectively, give them confidence and back them up. Its conclusion was that radical change was needed to get the public more engaged in tackling crime and to halt the erosion of community spirit.
The public have made it clear that they see punishment as the main function of the Criminal Justice System. If they are satisfied that the system delivers this there is strong support for offenders to payback for damage caused and rehabilitation to prevent further offending, but punishment needs to come first in this sequence. Although sentences are tougher now than in the past, the Casey Review found that the public do not believe that offenders face adequate consequences for the crimes they commit.
Many people feel that the system is more concerned with processing the law breaker through the system rather than meeting the needs of the victim or the ordinary law-abiding citizen: only 33% of the public are confident that the Criminal Justice System meets the needs of victims, but 79% agree it respects the rights of offenders. The public also believe the system is not transparent enough. Nine in ten of those spoken to during the Casey Review said they are not told enough about what happens to people who have been convicted of a crime.
This is damaging for public confidence because myths grow in the space where information should be. There is particular public concern that community sentences are not tough enough – that they are merely a ‘slap on the wrist’.
From April 2005 the range of community sentences that used to be available were consolidated under a single Community Order. A Community Order can be made up of up to 12 requirements which will differ from case to case. These include:
Carrying out between 40 and 300 hours of compulsory ‘unpaid work’ –now called Community Payback
Taking part in activities to improve basic skills such as reading and writing
Attending programmes to alter offending behaviour
Attending programmes that deal with alcohol or drug abuse
Other restrictions like observing curfews, or being prohibited from certain areas
A single requirement of Community Payback is the most common community sentence given out. Offenders perform five million hours of compulsory Community Payback in England and Wales each year. Community Payback projects continue to benefit local schools, faith groups, churches, charities and community organisations.
A wide range of work is being undertaken, including graffiti removal, street clean-ups, recycling projects, building maintenance and improvements to park and community facilities. Offenders sentenced to Community Payback are literally paying back the community for their crimes by clearing up graffiti, renovating community centres and other hard, physical work.
However, in March 2007, only one in eight people surveyed said they were aware of a project in their area that had benefited from Community Payback carried out under a Community Order. But for these sentences to be effective, they must also be visible to the community: people must literally be able to see offenders repaying for their crime. Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. And the community must have confidence in these sentences.
Following the Casey Review, all offenders carrying out Community Payback are now expected (unless there are exceptional circumstances) to wear high visibility jackets with the words Community Payback on the back. We hope that this is an important step in raising public awareness of and confidence in community sentences.
The public have a strong view that the work undertaken should be demanding, outdoor and of benefit to the community so we want to proactively communicate the activity that offenders on Community Payback have carried out to demonstrate that this is the case.
Follow this link to find out more about community payback FAQs