XN000022-1984-10-05 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1984

THE MAIN ADVANTAGES OF A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER SCHEME, AS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE REPORT OF THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION, AKE:

* IT PROVIDES A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY OF REHABILITATING THE OFFENDER AND THUS LOWERING THE RECIDIVIST RATE,

*

*

IT BROADENS THE RANGE OF OPTIONS OF SENTENCES,

AND

IT MAY BE LESS COSTLY THAN MOST OTHER FORMS OF SENTENCE INVOLVING IMPRISONMENT OR OTHER TYPES OF SUPERVISION.

THE BILL PUBLISHED TODAY PROVIDES THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS MAY ONLY BE MADE BY A COURT WHICH HAS BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE THAT FACILITIES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SUCH ORDERS ARE AVAILABLE.

+THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THE NUMBER OF COURTS THAT

MAY MAKE SUCH ORDERS IS REGULATED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND FACILITIES, HE SAID.

A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER MAY BE MADE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF UP TO 240 HOURS OF UNPAID WORK, IN ADDITION TO OR INSTEAD OF ANY OTHER SENTENCE.

UNDER THE BILL, A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER CAN REMAIN IN FORCE AGAINST AN OFFENDER FOR UP TO ONE YEAR, UNLESS IT IS EXTENDED BY THE COURT. HOWEVER, IT WILL ORDINARILY BE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN A SHORTER PERIOD.

THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION PRESCRIBES A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1 000 FOR BREACH OF THE CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS APPLYING TO A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER. ALTERNATIVELY,

ALTERNATIVELY, THE OFFENDER MAY BE DEALT WITH FOR THE ORIGINAL OFFENCE IN ANY WAY THAT HE COULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH IF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER HAD NOT BEEN MADE.

ANY OFFENDER COMMITS ANOTHER OFFENCE, DURING THE PERIOD OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER, WILL BE LIABLE TO ANY PUNISHMENT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSED FOR THE ORIGINAL OFFENCE, IN ADDITION TO PUNISHMENT FOR THE SUBSEQUENT OFFENCE.

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