What is Community Payback?

Community Payback is a court-ordered punishment available as part of a community order or a condition of a suspended prison sentence. It can stand as a punishment in its own right or be combined with other community order requirements, such as supervision by a probation officer or an offending behaviour programme.

It is available to all offenders whose crimes are serious enough to warrant a community-based penalty but are not so serious as to merit immediate imprisonment. Typically, offenders undertaking Community Payback will have been convicted of offences of dishonesty, lesser violent offences, driving offences and criminal damage.

All offenders being considered for Community Payback are assessed for their suitability and the risk they may pose to others and themselves. The aim is to ensure that all offenders undertaking Community Payback can be safely managed and are physically able to undertake the work required of them.

Members of the public can nominate projects to be completed by offenders. The work should be of benefit to the community and also enable offenders to learn useful skills which could help them in future paid employment. Any project undertaken must not take away work from businesses. Beneficiaries typically include charities and community organisations.