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Newton Emerson: Where are all the offenders doing community service?
['Newton Emerson', 'Newton Emerson Writes A Twice-Weekly Column For The Irish News', 'Is A Regular Commentator On Current Affairs On Radio']
Irish News
Chain gangs are about humiliation; community work is about rehabilitation and there is some evidence it is successful.
The one-year reoffending rate for community sentences is 32%, compared to 48% for short custodial sentences, although care must be taken with these figures.
Community sentencing is set to be used more often, with more focus on its visibility.
Saving money and relieving pressure on prisons are major reasons for more community sentencing, as ministers in London and Belfast have readily acknowledged.
Analysts say this contradiction shows there would be strong support for community sentencing if people could see it was working.