As the Deputy may be aware it is generally recognised that non-custodial penalties, particularly supervised community sanctions, play a significant and important role in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing a degree of protection to the public. This is supported by Central Statistics Office figures on recidivism.
Non-custodial sentences, which includes sentencing a person to undertake community service, means that a person can retain links to their community (such as family connections, employment and education) which improves the chances that they will not re-offend.
This is reflected in the Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024 which I recently published. Among the issues the review makes recommendations on, is reducing the use of short custodial sentences (especially sentences under 3 months) and exploring how the judiciary can be provided with a greater range of non-custodial sanctions. Community sanctions can play a role in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing protection to the public while holding the individual accountable. Non-custodial sentences, which includes sentencing a person to undertake community service, means that a person can retain links to their own community (e.g. family connections, their job) which improves the chances that they will not re-offend.
Community Service orders are non-custodial sanctions whereby individuals can be ordered by the sentencing judge to carry out unpaid work in the community, for the benefit of the community, ranging from 40 – 240 hours in lieu of prison sentences of up to 12 months.
In 2021, the Probation Service managed a total of 1,360 Community Service Orders (relating to 1,195 people) which totals 203,306 hours work in lieu of 713 years in prison. This equates to over €2 million worth of unpaid work for the benefit of communities nationwide.
A total of 1,195 people were subject to community service orders in 2021. This was a reduction on the pre-pandemic total of 2,355 in 2019. This reduction was a result of disruption to the work of the Courts and to host sites during this period due to national restrictions.
The type of work carried out by those on community service in Cavan and Monaghan over the past three years includes litter picking, grass cutting, grounds works in graveyards, the maintenance of green areas in both counties and general maintenance work in local clubs, sports facilities and schools.
People who are subject to community service orders are supervised by a paid supervisor who works alongside them. Each supervisor may supervise a maximum of eight people subject to orders on any one day
There are currently 3 community services supervisors working across Cavan and Monaghan.
The cost of a community service order is calculated at €1,500 per order.
As requested by the Deputy the table below shows the total number of people who were subject to community service orders from 2019–2021, and the number of people on community service orders in Cavan-Monaghan in 2019-2021.
It should be noted that the figures indicate the number of people who were subject to an order in 2021. While individuals begin a community service order in any given year, they may not necessarily complete the order in the same year.
Community Service Orders 2019-2021
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-
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2019
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2020
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2021
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Total number of people on community service orders nationally
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2,355
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1,033
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1,195
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Number of people on community service orders in Cavan-Monaghan
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244
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88
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151
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