NCJ Number
95042
Date Published
1984
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This briefing paper describes noncustodial sentences the British courts can impose on juvenile and adult offenders, along with 1982 statistics on their use.
Abstract
The court can give an absolute discharge when it decides that no further action is necessary after finding an offender guilty. A conditional discharge also places no further obligation on offenders, but they are liable to be sentenced for the first offense if they reoffend within a certain period. The court can bind over a person to keep the peace and demand a surety. Any criminal offense except murder is punishable with a fine, and it is the most widely used penalty. There is no limit to the amount a person can be fined in the Crown Court, but there are maximum fines for every offense in the magistrates' courts. Fines are imposed sometimes in addition to a prison term. A probation order places offenders aged 17 or over under the supervision of a probation officer for not less than 6 months nor more than 3 years. A supervision order is similar and may be used as a juvenile disposition. The supervisor can be a probation officer or social worker. A care order puts offenders under 18-years-old in the care of a local authority which assumes the powers and duties of a parent. Other alternatives for juvenile offenders include residential care and attendance centers where offenders must spend specified amounts of time in educational and recreational activities. Other noncustodial options are community service and suspended sentences, where shorter sentences do not have to be served unless the offender commits another imprisonable offense. Compensation and restitution orders can be used on their own or in conjunction with other sentences.