Council wants to hear your views on Community Payback Orders

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

In particular, we 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.

We are seeking your views on the effectiveness of community payback as a way to reduce re-offending and we want 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 Tim Pogson, Chair of Edinburgh Community Safety and Justice Partnership, said: “Community Payback Orders offer a robust alternative to a prison sentence and allow people to pay back for their crimes through doing unpaid work in the community.

“We are always keen to develop unpaid work opportunities in the capital and the views of our citizens are crucial to this process.

“Past examples of unpaid work include community clear ups, repainting community centres and the ‘Brake the Cycle’ scheme, whereby individuals undertaking CPOs have repaired bicycles for reuse as part of community projects.

“CPOs support participants to learn new skills and gain confidence in themselves and their wider community, all of which contributes to reducing reoffending. 

“Through this consultation we want to open up discussion with communities about unpaid work opportunities which is key to properly understanding how CPOs help not only the individuals undertaking unpaid work, but the tangible benefits these bring to communities across our capital city.”

This consultation is open until Monday 9 Sept 2024.