Written Answers. - Community Service Orders.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
342
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
the number of community service orders which were imposed in the latest year for which statistics are available after summary trials and trial on indictment respectively; the work which was done by those so sentenced; the number of cases in which there was non-compliance; and the outcome of such non-compliance.
[28594/00]
The probation and welfare service was notified of the making of 1,342 community service orders by the courts during the calendar year 1999. A breakdown of numbers of orders arising from (a) summary trials and (b) trials on indictment is not available.
Community service work placements arranged by the probation and welfare service for offenders who have community service orders imposed fall into two broad categories : (i) group projects and (ii) individual placements. Offenders placed on group projects in 1999 took part in the following range of activities which were to the benefit of their local communities: environmental improvement programmes – for example, tidy towns, graveyard maintenance and maintenance or improvement works in social centres, youth projects-clubs, schools, hospitals, community facilities and centres – painting, decorating and renovating premises – for example, hostels, schools, youth and sports facilities – building maintenance programmes – for example, homes of elderly people – making paper briquettes, toy making and furniture restoration.
Individual work placements are arranged where appropriate. These include: charity shop work, personal service programmes for the elderly, cleaning services, charitable fundraising, school kitchen work, assisting at youth and sports activities and cookery training.
During 1999 the service made 417 applications to the courts for summonses to be issued in respect of persons who were in breach of the terms of their community service order. Not all of these applications were in respect of community service orders made by the courts in the calendar year 1999. Persons on whom a community service order has been imposed have 12 months from the date of the order to complete the number of hours work specified in the order. Therefore, a number of summonses applied for in 1999 were in respect of orders made in 1998.
The usual outcome in cases returned to court for non-compliance with a community service order is the imposition of the original custodial penalty. However, in a small percentage of cases the court varies the original penalty.
