The Big Payback
Unpaid Work is a sentence available to courts. It is intended as a punishment and also as a means by which offenders can make amends to the community for the harm they have caused. The scheme is known as Community Payback.
The sentence is set by the court at anything between 40 and 300 hours depending on the seriousness of the crime and the offender's record. In Gloucestershire offenders must work at least seven hours - or one full day - per week, either as part of a group or on a single placement. Also those subject to Intensive unpaid work are required to complete a minimum of 18 hours per week. Community Payback offenders are at work in Gloucestershire seven days a week. The type of work carried out includes:
- Landscaping and forestry
- Grounds clearance
- General building work
- Painting and decorating
- Graffiti removal
- Running lunch clubs
- Manufacturing in the Basic Skills Workshop
It's Paying Off
Last year offenders sentenced by the courts completed a total of approximately 50,000 hours of unpaid work under Gloucestershire Probation Area's Community Payback initiative - making vast improvements to community facilities, the environment, public buildings, open spaces and local neighbourhoods and improving the quality of life of thousands of residents.
In the Recent and Ongoing Projects section of the website you'll find out more about some of the fantastic projects we're delivering in partnership with local people and how Community Payback could help you.
If you have a suggestion for a project please see our Nominate a Community Payback Project page.
