In short
Many offenders are not reforming after they have served their community service orders.
Community service orders for offenders are not bearing fruit in Kabarole district.
The Community Service Act was passed in Parliament in 2000 to provide for intermediate sanction to offenders instead of jail for minor and non-violent offenses.
An offender serving a Community Service Order is required to perform up to 980 hours (within 6 months) of unpaid work in his community of residence.
Although the programme is being implemented in the district, many offenders are not reforming, even after successfully serving their community service orders.
Statistics at the district community service office indicates that more than 80 offenders have served community service orders more than three times.
Charles Baguma, the chairperson of the district community service committee, says that last month, 60 offenders who had been issued with community service later engaged in criminal activities after serving their order.
According to Baguma, the high number of offenders who are sentenced to community service affects the committee’s work because they lack Probation and Social Welfare Officers because they are understaffed.
Felix Mugisa, a resident of Fort Portal, blames the police and district community service committees for failure of the programme. He says that some of the officials are ignorant about community service orders.
He says that after serving their sentence, the offenders are supposed to be counseled about the dangers of crime. Mugisa also says that the committees should develop a rehabilitation programme of the offenders after completion of their sentence.
He says that tree planting and brick making projects should be set up, in order not to lure members of the community to engage in crime.
//Cue in: “people aren’t sensitized…
Cue out: “…the rehabilitation programme.”//
Edward Balisanga, a member of the district community service committee, says that lack of awareness about community service, is caused by limited funds.
Balisanga says that volunteers to follow up offenders, who have finished serving their sentence, were recruited last year, but abandoned work, because they weren’t paid.
Community service is seen as a viable approach to improve reintegration of offenders into their communities, encourage reconciliation, as well as to reduce the problems of overcrowding in prisons.
According to the 2011/2012 Justice Law and Order report, prisons would have had more than 8,000 more prisoners if community service order had not been issued by courts.
The Community Service Act was passed in Parliament in 2000 to provide for intermediate sanction to offenders instead of jail for minor and non-violent offenses.
An offender serving a Community Service Order is required to perform up to 980 hours (within 6 months) of unpaid work in his community of residence.
Although the programme is being implemented in the district, many offenders are not reforming, even after successfully serving their community service orders.
Statistics at the district community service office indicates that more than 80 offenders have served community service orders more than three times.
Charles Baguma, the chairperson of the district community service committee, says that last month, 60 offenders who had been issued with community service later engaged in criminal activities after serving their order.
According to Baguma, the high number of offenders who are sentenced to community service affects the committee’s work because they lack Probation and Social Welfare Officers because they are understaffed.
Felix Mugisa, a resident of Fort Portal, blames the police and district community service committees for failure of the programme. He says that some of the officials are ignorant about community service orders.
He says that after serving their sentence, the offenders are supposed to be counseled about the dangers of crime. Mugisa also says that the committees should develop a rehabilitation programme of the offenders after completion of their sentence.
He says that tree planting and brick making projects should be set up, in order not to lure members of the community to engage in crime.
//Cue in: “people aren’t sensitized…
Cue out: “…the rehabilitation programme.”//
Edward Balisanga, a member of the district community service committee, says that lack of awareness about community service, is caused by limited funds.
Balisanga says that volunteers to follow up offenders, who have finished serving their sentence, were recruited last year, but abandoned work, because they weren’t paid.
Community service is seen as a viable approach to improve reintegration of offenders into their communities, encourage reconciliation, as well as to reduce the problems of overcrowding in prisons.
According to the 2011/2012 Justice Law and Order report, prisons would have had more than 8,000 more prisoners if community service order had not been issued by courts.
