Community-based sanction for criminals could save €17m

THE Government could save up to €17 million a year if just 10% of offenders sentenced to less than six months in prison were instead given a community-based sanction.

Proposed new legislation will direct judges to consider imposing community service orders on criminals.

However, the decision on which penalty to choose will still remain with the judge.

Under the Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) Bill 2011, the courts will be required to consider imposing a community service order for minor offences where it would otherwise be appropriate to sentence the offender to imprisonment for a period of up to six months.

Publishing the bill yesterday, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said: “There is an under-utilisation of the community service scheme in this country. I am determined that those offenders who would be appropriate for community service are considered for such.

“Increasing the use of community service delivers financial savings, diverts from the prison system offenders who would otherwise be imprisoned and provides reparation in the form of unpaid work to the benefit of the community.

“If only 10% of those offenders who were sentenced in 2009 to terms of imprisonment of up to six months were instead subject to a community service order, the projected savings to the exchequer would be in the vicinity of €14m to €17m.

“This does not include the financial value of the work carried out in the community. In 2007, a reasonable estimate of the value of the work performed under community service was €1.5m.”

The minister said he looked forward to seeing an increase in the use of community service orders by the courts.

lThe Bill is available on the Oireachtas website — www.oireachtas.ie