Community Service Order

Community service is a sentence imposed by the courts as a direct alternative to custody and is served by an offender in the community under the direction of a Probation Service Officer and a Community Service Supervisor.  Imposing a Community Service Order seeks to repay the community for damages 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 within their communities. The duration of a Community Service Order can be between 40 and 240 hours and should be completed within a year, with a minimum of 7 hours per week being worked. A disciplined and committed approach is required by the offender, to ensure the order is successfully completed.

Community Service work is identified and organised by a Probation Service Officer. Each offender sentenced to a Community Service Order will be interviewed by a Probation 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 Probation Service Officer.

The majority of clients on Community Service Orders 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 2 and 10 people and presently operate only at weekends. Appointed Community Service Supervisors have direct responsibility for these weekend work groups.

The Isle of Man Prison and 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 tel: +44 1624 687324 or email: probation@gov.im