Community sentences won’t work without proper government support – Lib Dems (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats)

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats <Charles.Cavaye@talktalk.net>

Community sentences won’t work without proper government support – Lib Dems

June 11, 2010 4:36 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

The length of time it takes convicted criminals to complete community sentences still varies hugely across the country.

In some local authority areas it's quicker to serve a 250 hour sentence than a 150 hour sentence in another area. For instance, in the Scottish Borders, the average time taken to complete a sentence of more than 250 hours was 204 days. This is quicker than the average time taken in many other local authorities to complete sentences of 150 hours or less.

More generally, the average time it took to complete a 150 hour sentence varied widely - from 384 days in Aberdeen to 119 days in Edinburgh. And the figures are those which are successfully completed, not those which are breached.

Commenting on the new figures for 2009, contained in the Scottish Government's updated Audit of Community Service in Scotland, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Robert Brown said:

"Sheriffs need to be confident that community sentences are available as an effective remedy- and particularly as an immediate alternative to short term prison sentences that are hugely expensive and don't work.

"The Scottish Government's audit shows that the length of time it takes convicted criminals to complete these sentences varies hugely across the country. Such large variances are neither just to the offender nor the local community, nor are community sentences in these circumstances as effective as they should. The Justice Secretary needs to look into why criminals paying back their communities in Aberdeen take so much longer to complete their sentences than those in, for instance, the Scottish Borders.

"The SNP Government plan to make it a legal requirement for these sentences to start within 7 days and finish within six months. I fully support this but these figures show the scale of the challenge on the existing law. When the new proposals to reduce short term sentences in favour of more community payback orders come in after the passage of the Criminal Justice & Licensing Bill, it will be even more difficult. These figures suggest that some local authorities are already struggling to cope with their current workload.

"It's not all about money and quicker completion of community orders would benefit everyone, but it stands to reason that more orders will require some more funding. It's no good the SNP Government simply making this the law. Community sentences must be properly resourced and supported if they're to be a viable alternative to very short term prison sentences."