What is Community Service?

Community Service is the name given to a sentence which can be imposed by all the Bailiwick’s Courts which allows and offender the opportunity to do unpaid work, normally as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

The Magistrate’s and Juvenile Courts can make an Order for between 40 and 180 hours. The Royal Court can make an Order for between 40 and 240 hours.

The hours are worked during the offender’s free time and normally at a minimum rate of five hours each week. 

The Probation Service is responsible to the Court for the supervision of all Community Service Orders.

The Community Service Scheme was introduced in the Bailiwick in 2007 but is an important and well established community-based sentence which has been used in the United Kingdom since 1977 and Jersey since 1982.

The Scheme is being run on a three year pilot basis with the Minister of the Home Department reporting back to the States of Deliberation at the end of the pilot term, which is expected to be sometime in 2011.

Who benefits from the work?

Placement beneficiaries must either be charitable or other non-profit making organisations.

Where is the work done?

Community Service is performed by offenders, either working on an individual basis, reporting directly to a beneficiary, or as part as a supervised work party group supervised by Probation Service supervisors.  Orders made by the Alderney and Sark Courts are performed in those islands.