Criminals do community service instead of prison time. Credit: instituteforgovernment.org
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More than 4000 trees will be planted by criminals in London this winter. Less serious and first-time offenders will be given an opportunity to avoid prison time under the ‘Community Payback’ scheme.
On the 50th year since the launch of the Community Payback project, the government will invest up to £93 million extra into the unpaid work scheme. The goal is to make communities affected by crime cleaner and greener.
The scheme is running in Ealing under the supervision of the Head of Unpaid Work, Jo White. She told The Evening Standard:
“Given the problems with the prison population at the moment, community payback and unpaid work requirement is the alternative.
“If somebody isn’t given community payback or an unpaid work requirement, then they could receive a short custodial sentence where they wouldn’t receive any intervention.”
Working with Trees for Cities has enabled more than 7000 trees to be planted through the last three winters, but this year it is set to go even further.
The Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, published earlier this year, set out how ‘Community Payback’ allows offenders to pay for their crimes, stating:
“This will ensure offenders are visibly making reparations for their crimes by undertaking valuable work for their local areas as soon as possible after their crimes are committed.
“In high-vis, and under super vision, they will clean up graffiti, clear wastelands, and redecorate public places and buildings such as community centres.”
Rates of reoffending support the policy with criminals who spend less than 12 months in prison reoffending on more than 50 percent of occasions, while those given a community order reoffend just at the rate of 34 percent.
The overall rate of reoffending is 25 percent.
Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk KC, said: “Criminals who damage our communities should be forced to repair them as part of their punishment.
“Community Payback is helping the public see offenders atoning for their crimes by making our towns and cities greener and cleaner.”
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Headline4000 trees to be planted by criminals in London this Christmas
Short HeadlineCriminals to plant 4000 trees in London
StandfirstLess serious and first-time offenders can plant trees to avoid prison time under the ‘Community Payback’ scheme
More than 4000 trees will be planted by criminals in London this winter. Less serious and first-time offenders will be given an opportunity to avoid prison time under the ‘Community Payback’ scheme.
On the 50th year since the launch of the Community Payback project, the government will invest up to £93 million extra into the unpaid work scheme. The goal is to make communities affected by crime cleaner and greener.
The scheme is running in Ealing under the supervision of the Head of Unpaid Work, Jo White. She told The Evening Standard:
“Given the problems with the prison population at the moment, community payback and unpaid work requirement is the alternative.
“If somebody isn’t given community payback or an unpaid work requirement, then they could receive a short custodial sentence where they wouldn’t receive any intervention.”
Working with Trees for Cities has enabled more than 7000 trees to be planted through the last three winters, but this year it is set to go even further.
The Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, published earlier this year, set out how ‘Community Payback’ allows offenders to pay for their crimes, stating:
“This will ensure offenders are visibly making reparations for their crimes by undertaking valuable work for their local areas as soon as possible after their crimes are committed.
“In high-vis, and under super vision, they will clean up graffiti, clear wastelands, and redecorate public places and buildings such as community centres.”
Rates of reoffending support the policy with criminals who spend less than 12 months in prison reoffending on more than 50 percent of occasions, while those given a community order reoffend just at the rate of 34 percent.
The overall rate of reoffending is 25 percent.
Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk KC, said: “Criminals who damage our communities should be forced to repair them as part of their punishment.
“Community Payback is helping the public see offenders atoning for their crimes by making our towns and cities greener and cleaner.”
