Community Service Order

Imposing a Community Service Order seeks to re-pay the community for damage or loss caused by an offender.

A Community Service Order is made by the Courts requiring offenders to perform unpaid work in their spare time. Community Service Workers are required to carry out useful and demanding tasks which, while providing an effective contribution to their own community, endeavour to encourage a positive identification with their communities. Community Service Orders can be for between 40 and 240 hours and should be completed within a year, with a minimum of seven hours per week being worked. To ensure the order is completed successfully requires a disciplined and committed approach from the offender.

Community Service work is identified and organised by the Community Service Officer, Lynda Watts. Every offender who is sentenced to a Community Service Order will be interviewed by the Community Service Officer who will determine the most suitable placement. In some cases workers will be allocated an Individual Placement. While day to day supervision and recording of hours is performed by a member of staff within the recipient organisation, the overall responsibility still remains with the Community Service Officer.

The majority of the clients on Community Service Orders, however, are scheduled to work on group projects. Workers complete a variety of tasks including painting and decorating, ground work, gardening and general maintenance on behalf of local charitable trusts, or other qualifying non-profit-making organisations. Occasionally, groups also undertake litter-picks. Each work group consists of between two and 10 people and presently operate only at week-ends. Appointed supervisors have direct responsibility for these weekend work groups.

The IoM Probation Service is careful to ensure that Community Service does not put employment at risk. If you have a project or suggestion to be assessed for possible Community Service tasks, please contact Lynda Watts, telephone 01624 687332 or email probation.dha@gov.im .