Have your say on Community Payback Orders

Edinburgh residents are being asked for their views on Community Payback Orders (CPO) which are given out by the Court to people to pay for their crimes as an alternative to a prison sentence.

In particular, the city council would like to know what you think about the unpaid work part of a CPO which replaced community service in 2011. This is when an individual who has committed an offence does unpaid work in the community.

Examples of unpaid work include:

• repairing and reinstating headstones in local cemeteries
• developing and maintaining children’s play areas
• recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture

The council is seeking your views on the effectiveness of community payback as a way to reduce re-offending and wants to know:

• Do you have any experience of people doing unpaid work in your community?
• Do you think unpaid work gives people the opportunity to repay the community for the crimes they have committed?
• Do you have any ideas about residents, community projects or organisations who could benefit from unpaid work support?

As well as using the questionnaire to comment on community payback you can also recommend groups, residents, organisations or projects that may benefit from unpaid work through the online suggestion form.

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Vice Convener of Culture and Communities, said: “We want to hear from the people of Edinburgh about their views on Community Payback Orders, and the work carried out by the people subject to them.

“Through our consultation we also hope to identify more opportunities in the Capital for unpaid community work to be carried out. This work could include community clear ups, repainting community centres or recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture.

“They are an excellent way for organisations such as charities to get practical help, and they give people who commit offences the chance to pay back to communities and develop new skills.

The information we collect will help us to improve how we work with communities and help to increase understanding of CPOs and their importance in helping people reintegrate into society and reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.”

The consultation runs until Wednesday 30 June.