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Have to do Community Service

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I was in court yesterday and got 240 hours of community service and a curfew which seems like a lot but it is better than I expected as I thought I would be going to prison.

I have to see my probation officer next Monday to find out what I will be doing but have a few questions for now.

Has anybody done community service?
WHat did you have to do?
Who is in charge and are they strict?
Did everybody turn up and do what they were meant to be?
Did you have to wear anything like a uniform (I watched the programme Misfits on E4 and on that they wear orange jumpsuits with 'community payback' written on them) Does that really happen?
Do you have to do community service in your own area where people you know might see you?
I'm 20 and fit enough - does this mean I would have to do physical stuff or does it matter?
What happens if you don't do the hours they give you?
Do you think community service is a good idea instead of putting people in prison?

Would appreciate any info

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey Dave20, welcome to TheSite :wave:

    I'm going to move your post in to the Home,Law & Money forum as you're likley to get some more replies there about this :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It ain't as bad as it sounds but then again I only had to do 80 hours, fuck 240... :lol:

    Think you're banded into "risk" groups - high or medium risk will be heavily monitored and out doing stuff like painting fences, removing graffiti etc

    So if you were done for something like GBH, ABH, affray etc this will be you. Few mates have done this, they all said it was pretty full on, gotta get on with it no fucking about, not allowed mobiles etc. Not fun.

    But if you're low risk you might end up being put in a community placement like British Heart Foundation...this is what I did.

    Wasn't too bad actually made a couple of mates out of it. 8 hour shifts every Friday putting up/taking down wardrobes, beds, moving TV's, stuff like that. But we weren't supervised and the full time staff were cool so we spent most of our time drinking tea and generally fucking about in the warehouse. Was still boring as hell though.

    Either way kid, it ain't gonna be fun! And 240 hours is a hell of a long time, just take it one day at a time - definitely beats prison... :thumb:
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    like zoma i only got 80 hours, thats still took a fair few months to do.
    Started off working with the chain gang - the minibus at weekends, painting schools, making footpaths etc. I quite enjoyed that part of it to be honest. It was quite relaxed, loads of fag breaks, a few of us used to take speed before going and have a bit of a craic.
    the last tm hours or so however i spent ironing and sorting clothes in banardos which was shit.

    The thing that used to piss me off is that id have to travel 14 miles to meat the mini bus only for them to turn round and say the bus was full and they'd only give me an hour for it. However if you want to get of doing it on weekend its nigh on impossible.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    heya,
    ive never done community service, i go to the courts alot as im doin a degree in forensic psychology. u do get banded into a risk group and the higher the risk the more supervision that you will get. The probation service is in charge of ur community order but if u don't comply they will ask you to go bk to court and u cud get a custodial. You have to wear an orange overtop thingy which is say sumut like community payback on it.
    You will have started now....how was it?? I think that community service is better cause it allows for rehabilitation - sorry doin an essay on it atm. I think if u go to prison, especially for those prolific offenders - they cum out bta criminals.
    only my opinion but ya know, unless a short sharp shock of custody is given.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've done 2 weekends now - made me realise how long it will take to get the 240hours done. I go to college during th week so I will only be doing it once a week and then any hours I have left I have to do in the Summer. I used to do some part tiime work as well so I'm not earning any money but with being on curfew I'm not going out. Have to say it's hard when everybody else is going out at the weekend and I'm stuck at home but like you said it could be worse - I could be banged up.

    The work itself has been hard enough but it's OK - we've been cleaning up along a canal - getting rid of rubbish, cutting down bushes - that sort of thing. Most of the lads I'm doing it with are OK - actually have a laugh with some of them. Most of them have less hours than me and have been slagging me about that. I met a lad I know a bit from college who was nearly finished doing his - think he was a bit embarassed about me finding out as he didn't tell anybody but we're mates now. Some of us went out to the pub afterwards on Saturday but the few of us on curfew couldn't stay out long! The supervisors are OK as long as we don't take the piss - they give us our smoke breaks like was said.

    I'll probably get bored of the work after a while but the first coupld of weeks actually felt OK about doing something good. I'm sure it will be shit during the winter with the weather being crap but like I said am getting on OK for now.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Glad you hear you're getting a long well. Do you think it will put you off re-offending again, just out of interest?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Squeal, don't plan on getting into trouble again but shit happens. Like I said the community service is OK but the curfew is a pain. I also signed up for an anger management course - that was to help with court. I was shitting it at the thoughts of going inside and know I stressed out my gf and family and I've promised them I'll stay out of trouble but I'm a 20 year old lad and not an angel and never will be.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dave20 wrote: »
    I'm a 20 year old lad and not an angel and never will be.



    I'm glad the sentiment is there in the previous few lines, but reading this, my advice to you is your best chance is to keep away from the people or situations that lead into whatever it is you did to get community service.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    that's right, keep away from the police, they only get you in to trouble.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    katralla wrote: »
    that's right, keep away from the police, they only get you in to trouble.

    A fuckin men.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote: »
    A fuckin men.

    Yeah, men do too :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    that's right, keep away from the police, they only get you in to trouble.

    Only if you do something to get yourself into trouble in the first place.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Faustus wrote: »
    Only if you do something to get yourself into trouble in the first place.

    Aye. Ian Tomlinson says he'd agree with you...
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Faustus wrote: »
    Only if you do something to get yourself into trouble in the first place.

    Jean Charles de Menezes?
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dave20 wrote: »
    I've done 2 weekends now - made me realise how long it will take to get the 240hours done. I go to college during th week so I will only be doing it once a week and then any hours I have left I have to do in the Summer. I used to do some part tiime work as well so I'm not earning any money but with being on curfew I'm not going out. Have to say it's hard when everybody else is going out at the weekend and I'm stuck at home but like you said it could be worse - I could be banged up.

    The work itself has been hard enough but it's OK - we've been cleaning up along a canal - getting rid of rubbish, cutting down bushes - that sort of thing. Most of the lads I'm doing it with are OK - actually have a laugh with some of them. Most of them have less hours than me and have been slagging me about that. I met a lad I know a bit from college who was nearly finished doing his - think he was a bit embarassed about me finding out as he didn't tell anybody but we're mates now. Some of us went out to the pub afterwards on Saturday but the few of us on curfew couldn't stay out long! The supervisors are OK as long as we don't take the piss - they give us our smoke breaks like was said.

    I'll probably get bored of the work after a while but the first coupld of weeks actually felt OK about doing something good. I'm sure it will be shit during the winter with the weather being crap but like I said am getting on OK for now.


    Just hope you don't get put on packing needles. Had to do that for weeks when I did mine. 1 hour felt like a day!
    With you doin it weekends though they tend to be good lads, and can have quite a laugh. Actually after a while kind of enjoyed doin mine.
    I was advised by prob officer not to go in week, as would prob end up with more hours added, as all smack heads and tend to kick off.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    this thread died about 3 months ago, check the dates dude.
This discussion has been closed.