COMMUNITY SERVICE IN HAMPSHIRE (ENGLAND)

• NCJ Number: 44222
• Journal: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: (1977) Pages: 114-123
• Author(s): J B COKER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Assoc for Psychiatric Treatment of Offenders
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

THE PRINCIPLES, OPERATION, AND OUTCOMES OF A PROGRAM PROVIDING FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

UNDER THE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM, THE COURT, HAVING DETERMINED THAT AN OFFENDER IS SUITABLE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THAT WORK IS AVAILABLE, CAN ORDER THE DEFENDANT TO PERFORM BETWEEN 40 AND 240 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. FAILURE TO CARRY OUT THE WORK SATISFACTORILY CAN RESULT IN THE RETURN OF THE OFFENDER TO THE COURT FOR SENTENCING. COMMUNITY SERVICE HAS PROVIDED THE HAMPSHIRE PROBATION AGENCY WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE NEW PRINCIPLES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OFFENDERS AND IN THE WAY IN WHICH OFFENDERS ARE SENTENCED. THESE PRINCIPLES ARE AS FOLLOWS: AVAILABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ALTERNATIVE ONLY TO OFFENDERS WHO OTHERWISE PROBABLY WOULD BE INCARCERATED; CONTROLLED INVOLVEMENT OF THE OFFENDER IN DETERMINING HIS OWN SENTENCE; EMPHASIS ON THE OFFENDER'S CURRENT INTENTIONS AND MOTIVATIONS RATHER THAN HIS PAST BEHAVIOR; REINFORCEMENT OF THE OFFENDER'S GOOD INTENTIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS IN ORDER TO GIVE HIM A SENSE OF IDENTITY WITH HIS WORK; PROVISION OF WORK THAT IS NOT DEMEANING; EMPHASIS ON THE OFFENDER'S INDEPENDENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARRYING OUT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER; ENVISIONING OF THE SENTENCE AS REPARATION, NOT TREATMENT; AND EVALUATION OF THE SUCCESS OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER PRIMARILY IN TERMS OF SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF SENTENCE. THE PERSONNEL, SELECTION PROCEDURES, AND OPERATIONS OF THE HAMPSHIRE PROGRAM ARE DESCRIBED, AND THE CATEGORIES OF WORK ASSIGNED TO COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER OFFENDERS ARE NOTED. IN THE PROGRAM'S FIRST 2 YEARS, 112 OF THE 185 PERSONS RECEIVING COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS HAD THREE OR MORE PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS. OF THE FIRST 160 ORDERS COMPLETED, 144 WERE COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY. THE HAMPSHIRE EXPERIENCE IS SAID TO ARGUE IN FAVOR OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CUSTODY.