Working with sentencers

Wiltshire Probation Area recognises the significance of sentencers as key recipients of the services it provides. Service Delivery Protocols have been established which confirm how Wiltshire Probation Area will contribute to the sentencing process, provide a court duty resource, and commit to return cases to court where offenders have failed to comply. In excess of 2,000 reports are written for the Magistrates and Crown Courts. Ongoing and effective liaison underpins our relationship with the criminal courts, and this takes the form of regular Bench meetings, attendance at court user groups, and an ongoing dialogue between local managers and key court personnel. In addition, Wiltshire Probation area hosts a highly successful annual Sentencer Conference, which is attended by over 120 sentencers and representatives from other partner agencies.

Community sentences

Judges and magistrates have a choice from 12 different requirements they can order an offender to complete as part of a community sentence.

Compulsory unpaid work:
This involves demanding and constructive activities, such as conservation work, cleaning up graffiti, or working with a charity. The local community also benefits in some way. An offender will have to do up to 300 hours of compulsory unpaid work

Programmes:
These are aimed at changing an offender’s behaviour. For example, an offender found guilty of domestic violence may be required to undertake a specific domestic violence programme

Participation in any specified activities:
These activities may include improving basic skills (such as reading and writing) or making reparation to the people affected by the crime

Prohibition from certain activities:
An offender may be ordered not to do certain activities at specified times

Curfew:
An offender may be ordered to stay at a particular location for certain hours of the day. Curfews help to structure an offender’s life and break the cycle of offending.They will normally have to wear an electronic tag during their sentence

Exclusion:
An offender may be prohibited from certain areas (for up to two years) and will normally have to wear an electronic tag during that time

Residence requirement:
An offender may be required to live in a specified place, such as an approved hostel or other residential accommodation

Mental health treatment:
After taking professional advice, the court may decide that the offender’s sentence should include mental health treatment. The offender must consent to this treatment

Drug rehabilitation:
If an offender commits crime as a result of a drug addiction, and if they consent to treatment, they may be required to go on a drug rehabilitation programme.The programmes last for between six months and three years, and may involve monthly reviews of an offender’s progress

Alcohol treatment:
This requirement is appropriate for offenders whose crime may be caused by alcohol abuse. An offender must agree to this treatment and it must last for at least six months

Supervision:
This requirement means that an offender’s rehabilitation is supervised by the Probation Service. This requirement may be used with other requirements, such as the participation in specified activities and programme requirements

Attendance centre requirement:
Offenders under the age of 25 may be required to attend a particular centre at a specified time for between 12 and 36 hours, over the course of their sentence.