Magistrates and Judges can choose either a prison sentence, a community order or a fine, when sentencing someone found guilty of a crime.
The Community order was introduced in April 2005 under the new Criminal Justice Act and replaces all other previous community sentences and orders.
The Community Order allows magistrates and judges to choose a combination of requirements (elements) from a range of 12, dependant on the specifc offender. The requirements include restrictions on liberty, programmes to address the offenders behaviour and prevent re-offending.
Leaflets detailing all the requirements can be found on the previous page.
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