NCJ Number
86762
Date Published
1981
Length
84 pages
Annotation
This booklet examines the history, theory, and practice of the community service order, with emphasis on its use in the United Kingdom.
Abstract
The community service order evolved from the longstanding concept of the offender as a debtor to society. It also reflects the concept of requiring time and efforts as a form of retributive justice. However, the current operations of community service programs do not emphasize rehabilitation. The proposal for the community service order in roughly its present form in Great Britain came in 1969. In 1973, the Powers of Criminal Courts Act included provisions for community service orders. The numbers of community service orders in England and Wales grew from 1,019 in 1974 to 22,232 in 1980. In 1978, the length of the average order was between 100 and 150 hours. While early evidence showed that about half of those given community service orders received such orders instead of custody, justice personnel vary in their opinions regarding whether an order should be mainly an alternative to custody or mainly a sentence in its own right. The sentence to which community service is an alternative should be a matter of public record. The number of hours assigned could also reflect the purpose of the order. Highly disturbed individuals and those of very low intelligence are among the categories of offenders who are unsuitable for community service. The isolated individuals and those between ages 17 and 30 are among the offenders most suited to community service. Supervision is crucial to the success of community service. Clear guidelines regarding revocation of community service are important as well. Current developments in community service include its possible application to more categories of offenders. Recommendations regarding the use of community service orders, tables, footnotes, and appendixes presenting typical community service tasks and related materials are provided.