Formerly known as community service, unpaid work placements play an important role in the justice system. Unpaid work placements provide a means of punishment for offenders who, for whatever reason, cannot or should not be sent to prison. Such placements are also designed to help integrate offenders back into society. Unfortunately, the good intentions behind the unpaid work placement schemes are often countered by the uncompromising actions of offenders, many of whom regard community service as no punishment at all. According to Napo, the trade union and professional association for family court and probation staff, many supervisors of unpaid work placements are subject to abuse, threats and physical violence. Napo is now calling for an urgent review of the Community Payback schemes in order to rectify the problems faced by supervisors.
In 2009, over 55,000 offenders were ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community. According to Napo, the number of offenders on the scheme far outweighs the number of supervisors available. It is claimed that a number of community service groups comprise just one supervisor for as many as twelve offenders. The groups were originally designed to include no more than six offenders for every one supervisor. Unfortunately, the inevitable consequence of over-populated community service groups is that they become more difficult to control. Increasingly, poorly trained and insufficiently supported supervisors are facing verbal and physical abuse whilst trying to exert authority over offenders. As the problem worsens, the Probation Service may face personal injury claims from supervisors who have been injured by offenders.
In illustration of the dangers faced by unpaid work placement supervisors, a 19-year-old offender was shot five times as he left a community service site in Hackney last month. In Hertfordshire, a male supervisor was forced to lock himself inside a vehicle in order to escape the threat of physical violence – police were called to the scene and eventually removed the offender. Harry Fletcher, the assistant general secretary of Napo, argued that an urgent review of Community Payback schemes was necessary. Mr Fletcher said: "Unpaid work clearly has an important role to fulfil in sentencing. However, if it is to be run by increasingly untrained and intimidated staff, often working alone and if action isn't taken to decrease the amounts of threats, both verbal and physical, then the public will continue to be at risk." Mr Fletcher warned: "A combination of a workforce who do not want to be there and staff who are not trained to motivate spells major problems for the future."
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