Community sentences

Question 1

How does community sentence work

Answer 1

Community sentences can include carrying out between 40 and 300 unpaid hours of work, such as removing graffiti, clearing wasteland and decorating public place.

Question 2

Advantages of community sentences

• Rehabilitation

Answer 2

Community sanctions mean that offenders can begin to deal with issues such as drug and alcohol addictions and make reparation to their community, whilst maintaining links with their families and employment.

Question 3

Advantages of community sentence

• Economically

Answer 3

It is essentially cheaper because a prison place cost £40,000 a year in comparison.

Question 4

Economic success of community sentence

Answer 4

In 2007, more than 6 million hours of compulsory unpaid work were carried out in communities in England and Wales by offenders who received a community order.

Question 5

Supporters of community sentence

Answer 5

The Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said that ‘community sentences are almost 10% more effective than a short prison sentence at reducing reoffending.

Question 6

Re-offending and community sentence

Positive

Answer 6

Adult offenders who are sentenced to a Community Punishment Order had the lowest re-offending rate (40%) compared with those sentenced to prison (66%).

Question 7

Public perception of community sentence

Answer 7

The public may perceive community sentences as being too lenient. 60% of the public thinks that community sanctions are too soft or weak.

Question 8

Re-offending and community sentence

Negative

Answer 8

35% of adults given a community sentence reoffend within a year

Question 9

In favour of community sentencing

• Lower reoffending rates

Answer 9

Reoffending rates for people given community sentences are significantly lower than for offenders sentenced

Question 10

In favour of community sentencing

• mental health

Answer 10

Community sentencing are much more effective than prison in addressing mental health or drugs problems

Question 11

In favour of community sentencing

• integrated

Answer 11

Community sentencing encourage offenders to remain integrated into the community and to ‘give something back’

Question 12

Against community sentence

• Less effective

Answer 12

Less effective than prison in deterring crime

Question 13

Against community sentence

• Less public support

Answer 13

Less support from the public who see them as a ‘soft option’, which fails to provide proper retribution and punishment for offences

Question 14

Against community sentence

• Lack of protection

Answer 14

It does not remove criminals from the wider population and thus does not protect the public

Question 15

Success of community sentence

• Work done

Answer 15

In 2007, more than 6 million hours of compulsory unpaid work were carried out in communities in England and Wales by offenders who received a community order.

Question 16

Advantage

• Visibility

Answer 16

Community sentences provide a visible demonstration of reparation to the community in which the offence took place and that the community is able to influence and to understand the nature and type of sentence performed.

Question 17

Counter point of CS being a soft option

Answer 17

government are toughening up community sentences so every sentence contains a genuine punishment, including fines, unpaid work and strict curfews and exclusion zones

Question 18

CS as a soft option

Answer 18

Currently, only two-thirds of community orders contain a punitive requirement.

Question 19

Drug rehabilitation in CS

Answer 19

Those subject to drug rehabilitation orders face random testing for up to three years.

Question 20

Advantage for low-risk offenders

Answer 20

Community sentences help low-risk offenders to rehabilitate themselves more effectively than a short spell in prison.

Question 21

Success

• Completion

Answer 21

Official figures show about 65% of the 11,000 or so community orders handed down in England and Wales each month are completed in full or finish early because the offender makes good progress.

Question 22

Failures

• Failed to finish

Answer 22

Offenders fail to finish the remaining 35%, often because they simply do not turn up, breach curfews, or are convicted of another offence.

Question 23

Failures

• Missed community order

Answer 23

70% admit to having missed at least a day of community order, and those who breached their orders, less than half faced court action.

Question 24

CS is not soft

• instant prison sentence

Answer 24

A breach of community sentence can essentially trigger an instant prison sentence

Question 25

CS is not soft

• Curfews

Answer 25

many offenders given a community sentence must abide by strict curfews or prohibitions on who they can meet or what they can do.