By Roy Sanford, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE LOCAL penal system is reaping the benefits of the Community Service Order (CSO) programme, a non-custodial option available to first-time non-violent offenders.
The aim of the programme, which is run by the Department of Correctional Services, is to increase the number of offenders performing services to their communities while at the same time reducing prison overcrowding, imparting new skills to offenders, reducing state costs, and maintaining links with family members.
"Many people have the idea that once a person commits an offence, he or she should be thrown in jail and the keys thrown away," said Donald Miller, co-ordinator of the CSO. "However, we believe in rehabilitating people through this programme as an alternative to imprisonment."
Mr. Miller was speaking at a CSO stakeholders' workshop in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland yesterday. According to Mr. Miller, at the end of May 2004, 1,334 CSO cases were reported to the Department of Correctional Services.
"Can you imagine if all these people were given prison sentences?" he pointed out. "Can you imagine the Government would have been feeding all of these persons and your tax dollars would go to waste."
REMAIN AT HOME
The CSO co-ordinator said people who are required to perform CSOs as part of their rehabilitation, are given the opportunity to remain at home with their families. "This nurtures families and enhances the stability of the community," he noted.
Meanwhile Lorna Richards, who was sentenced to 250 hours of community service under the programme at the Clifton Boy's Home in Westmoreland, credited the CSO as having given her 'the opportunity to give back to my community.'
"I believe if you do something wrong, you must be punished," she said. "I was free yet I had to do what the law demands which was working at the boy's home. It was the best thing that ever happened to me."
Having completed her required hours of service to the CSO, Ms. Richards has opted to work as a volunteer at the institution.
The CSO is available to offenders 17 years and older. There is a maximum 360 hours for a single offence under the programme.
