Community Payback
Community Payback gives Cambridgeshire residents, including victims of crime, the chance to say what work offenders should do in the community.
Members of the public are asked to nominate a project they feel offenders should carry out as part of their Unpaid Work sentence.
The Cambridgeshire Probation Area runs the Community Payback scheme throughout the county. Each Unpaid Work team's supervised at all times.
Offenders must turn up on time to each session, behave appropriately and work hard.
Giving the public a voice
Victims, other local residents and community groups are encouraged to help with the selection of projects that will help make their community a better place to live. Ideally the projects should combine hard work and learning skills.
It's about giving victims a voice and making sure that offenders help to put things right their communities.
Community Payback placements must be for non-profit organisations, such as charities and community organisations, and must not replace paid labour.
Once completed, each site or organisation receives a Community Payback logo and a plaque to show where offenders have made a positive contribution to improving the neighbourhood.
Putting things right in Cambridgeshire
People across Cambridgeshire benefited from over 100,000 hours of compulsory unpaid work in 2006. That was expected to increase last year.
Recently projects have been completed in places of worship, community centres, schools and residential homes. Typical projects include gardening, landscaping, painting and decorating and minor building maintenance.
No soft option
Community sentences are not a soft option. Schemes like Community Payback are tough punishments that can restrict an offender's freedom and ensure they make good the harm they've done.
At the same time Community Payback can positively influence an offender's behaviour. It can allow law-breakers to keep their job or college place and remain in their home.
All of these may be crucial factors in preventing re-offending.