Moving forwards or paying back? The unpaid work element of the community order

Abstract

The sight of increasing numbers of offenders performing compulsory work at a time of significantly rising unemployment makes for a disturbing view. However, this vision is becoming more likely thanks to the plan to double the amount of unpaid work annually performed by offenders to 10 million hours by 2011 (Home Office, 2006). It is also intended that this vision is witnessed because the millions of hours have to meet the requirements of the Visible Unpaid Work Strategy, otherwise known as ‘Community Payback’. As a result, the work that offenders undertake must be visible to the community and the display of the right kind of images is paramount. This method of administering the sanction has replaced an evidence based approach that sought to prioritise elements of good practice that were known to be effective in reducing re-offending. The fact that this widely used form of sentencing subordinated detailed research findings to the demand for visibility reinforces the case for the development of a Visual Criminology as recently expounded in Criminal Justice Matters (Issue 78).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Phil Johnson

Dr Phil Johnson is a lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University Centre at Blackburn College