In Scotland, a new sentencing option that forces offenders to make amends for antisocial behaviour by doing unpaid community work is available in courts in Inverclyde and Inverness.
Community Reparation Orders (CROs) were introduced by the Executive as part of the Antisocial Behaviour Scotland Act.
They can be used to deal with what the Scottish Executive calls relatively low-level antisocial crimes that are heard without a jury in the district and sheriff courts. They focus on making reparation for antisocial behaviour by providing between ten to 100 hours of unpaid work.
The option is being piloted in courts in Inverclyde, Inverness and Dundee – it will be available in Dundee later this month.
What they say
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said: "The Executive is committed to giving the courts access to the widest possible range of sentencing options – helping ensure each sentence fits the crime, and creating a swifter, smarter justice system.
"Community Reparation Orders are an excellent example of this. An individual placed on an Order will be forced to make amends to their local community by carrying out ten to 100 hours of unpaid work. That could mean that the yob who smashed a window spends a week repairing windows – putting something back to the community while giving them an opportunity to enhance their life skills.
"Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to consult with community organisations on the type of activities that offenders should be involved in – to ensure that offenders are carrying out work that will make the biggest positive difference in their local areas.
"All the evidence suggests that punishment of this type is more likely to have an impact on reoffending. And if the offender fails to pay their full debt to the community, they will face further punishment. This is a smart option, not a soft option.
"Now that the order is available, I am sure it will establish itself among sentencers as a disposal which can make a difference. If it proves to be successful we will look at making it available to courts across Scotland.
"Antisocial behaviour blights too many communities. But Community Reparation Orders can play a role in dealing effectively with it. We are firmly on the side of those who are standing up to antisocial behaviour and helping deliver a safer, stronger Scotland."
The ASB Act introduced CROs for use by the courts for offences where there is an anti-social behaviour element.
CROs are a low tariff order and will be confined to summary cases – crimes of a less serious nature that are heard without a jury in the district and sheriff courts. They focus specifically on making reparation for anti-social behaviour by providing 10 to 100 hours of unpaid work. CROs will expand the existing range of community disposals, it is claimed. Existing disposals with a restorative element are high tariff, for example community service orders, or designed to deal with a specific group, such as supervised attendance orders for fine defaulters.
A statutory duty will be imposed on local authorities – who will be responsible for supervising the order – to consult with the local community bodies as to the nature of the reparation done by offenders. This consultation will be on general principles and not specific to individual cases. Pilots are running at Inverness Sheriff and District Courts and Kingussie and Nairn District Courts; at Dundee Sheriff and District Courts and at Greenock Sheriff Court and Inverclyde District Court. They will run for two years.
