In short
Michael Muhereza, a member of Bukuku Sub County community service committee, which monitors community service, says they expect offenders to reform but he is surprised that there isn’t any change.
Community service has come under scrutiny from residents of Kabarole district, with some calling for its abolition. Community service was introduced in Uganda in 2001 as part of the reforms in the criminal justice system. Under the Community service system, minor offenders are assigned simple community tasks by court instead of being handed custodial sentences. However, in Kabarole district, some residents believe community services is not effective in reforming offenders and want it scrapped.
Statistics at Kabarole district community service department show that more than 80 offenders have served community service orders more than three times, an indication that it has not helped them to reform. Michael Muhereza, a member of Bukuku Sub County community service committee, which monitors community service, says they expect offenders to reform but he is surprised that there isn’t any change.
Muhereza blames this on lack of funds to facilitate volunteers who are supposed to regularly visit the offenders in their homes and counsel them about the dangers of engaging in criminal activities. George Tusiime, a resident of Fort Portal wants community service scrapped or the courts give heavy punishment to offenders who don’t reform after their sentence. According to Tusiime, some offenders don’t fear engaging in criminal activities, because they know that they will be given a lighter punishment.
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Some members of the public also claim that they are not benefiting from the programme because the implementers have turned community service into a lucrative money-making venture.
Steven Birungi, a resident of Karago in Kichwamba Sub County says community service would be of much help if offenders are given tasks such as cleaning up community roads instead of deploying them to work on the estates of rich district officials.
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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 Justice Law and Order Sector, prisons would have had more inmates if the community service order had not been issued by courts.
Statistics at Kabarole district community service department show that more than 80 offenders have served community service orders more than three times, an indication that it has not helped them to reform. Michael Muhereza, a member of Bukuku Sub County community service committee, which monitors community service, says they expect offenders to reform but he is surprised that there isn’t any change.
Muhereza blames this on lack of funds to facilitate volunteers who are supposed to regularly visit the offenders in their homes and counsel them about the dangers of engaging in criminal activities. George Tusiime, a resident of Fort Portal wants community service scrapped or the courts give heavy punishment to offenders who don’t reform after their sentence. According to Tusiime, some offenders don’t fear engaging in criminal activities, because they know that they will be given a lighter punishment.
//Cue in: “People aren’t sensitized…
Cue out: …the rehabilitation programme.”//
Some members of the public also claim that they are not benefiting from the programme because the implementers have turned community service into a lucrative money-making venture.
Steven Birungi, a resident of Karago in Kichwamba Sub County says community service would be of much help if offenders are given tasks such as cleaning up community roads instead of deploying them to work on the estates of rich district officials.
// Cue in: "They are reaping...
Cue out "...not community service."//
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 Justice Law and Order Sector, prisons would have had more inmates if the community service order had not been issued by courts.
