Scotland’s communities have benefitted from around 8 million hours of unpaid work carried out by people serving community sentences since 2011.
New figures also show the number of people given supervised bail rather than being remanded in custody increased 26% between 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Unpaid work by people serving community payback orders (CPOs) supports a wide range of local needs including maintaining footpaths and clearing drains, making furniture for foodbanks and schools, work to preserve natural landscapes and redecorating community halls.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “While prison is necessary for offenders who pose a significant public safety risk, short-term custodial sentences are an ineffective means of rehabilitation. Imprisonment, including remand, disrupts families and communities, employment and housing – the very factors that deter offending and keep crime down.
“Unpaid work completed by people serving CPOs benefits local projects and helps them to become active and responsible contributors to their community. We recognise that some individuals will require sustained support and we are investing £9.5 million a year more in community justice services compared to 2015-16 as part of more than £100 million funding for justice social work.
“Many people in the justice system have chaotic backgrounds and struggle with addiction and mental health problems – issues that won’t be solved by a short period in prison, where hard-working staff should be focused on the most serious offenders.
“Community sentences, with supervision and other conditions where necessary, add structure and help people make the positive changes needed to tackle the causes of their behaviour.”
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