Once a community order is imposed by the court they may add one or more of twelve following requirements to that order. The offender must carry out these requirements as part of their sentence. These are:

Supervision

Generally where an offence is low seriousness, only one requirement will be added but up to three or four can be added in more serious cases. Supervision usually, but not always, forms one requirement of the order.

The supervision requirement of an order is carried out by a member of staff in the offender management team. They will meet regularly with the offender to ensure that they are complying with the order. However, they will work closely with colleagues in our Interventions team who will arrange or deliver any other requirements.
Download Supervision leaflet (PDF - 60k)

The main interventions that are offered by the Hertfordshire Interventions team are:

Prohibited activity

This is intended to prevent further offending by preventing an offender from doing something. For example, if they cause trouble at football games the court may order them to stop attending matches.
Download Prohibited activity leaflet (PDF - 56k)

Exclusion

Exclusion means that an offender cannot go to a certain place/places on certain days and at certain times. This may be a part of a town, a house or an event such as a football match. The offender may also be electronically monitored (tagged) to ensure that they comply.
Download Exclusion leaflet (PDF - 56k)

Curfew

The curfew means that an offender must be in a particular place at certain times. This will be for between 2 and 12 hours per day depending on the sentence. The offender may be electronically monitored (tagged) to ensure compliance.
Download Curfew leaflet (PDF - 60k)

Education, Training and Employment (Activity requirement)

At least 40% of offenders under our supervision have limited literacy and numeracy skills.  Of the remainder, few have achieved more than GCSE level. Lack of education, training and employment is a major factor in why people offend. For this reason, courts may add a requirement for an offender to receive compulsory assistance with education, training or employment.

The requirement can be for 10, 25 or 60 sessions for approximately two hours. In Hertfordshire we have partnerships with local colleges and training providers to deliver literacy and numeracy training and employment advice.

For 2005/6 we have already exceeded the national target for offenders achieving literacy/numeracy awards. The national target is 516 starts and 129 awards. Hertfordshire's first quarter performance is 100 starts and 80 awards, and we aim to get 200 offenders into jobs and training.

Download Education, Training and Employment leaflet (PDF - 60k)

Community Payback

Offenders aged 16 or over can be sentenced to carry out up to 300 hours of compulsory unpaid work in the community. They will work a minimum of six hours per week, usually a full day (9am - 4.30pm). Typical unpaid work projects include landscaping and gardening, minor building maintenance, painting and decorating. Some individual placements, such as working in charity shops, can be arranged.

More information about Community Payback and how to nominate a project in your area.
Download Unpaid Work leaflet (PDF - 56k)

Programmes

There are a range of offending behaviour programmes that can be included in an order.
Download Programmes leaflet (PDF - 56k)
See more on programmes.

Attendance Centre

This is for younger offenders and involves attendance at specialist centre at certain times. Although this is a requirement that can form part of the order it is not supervised by probation staff.
Download Atttendance Centre leaflet (PDF - 56k)

Drug rehabilitation

Drug rehabilitation requirements vary in their intensity. The intensity of the order is based on the seriousness of the offence (low, medium or high intensity), not on the seriousness of the drug problem.

There are four possible options that can be ordered as part of the drug rehabilitation requirement. These will be delivered by a third party treatment provider.

• Day care
• Counselling
• Substitute prescribing and detoxification
• Residential rehabilitation

The number and combination or these treatments will vary dependent on the intensity of the requirement. In addition, the offender will meet with their offender manager and be tested regularly for drugs.

Drug rehabilitation requirements can only be ordered for those aged 18 and over and the courts must be satisfied that the offender is a drug user and could respond to treatment. The offender will be assessed by the treatment provider before sentencing to make sure that they are suitable and they must agree to the treatment.
Download Drug Rehabilitation leaflet (PDF - 56k)

Alcohol treatment

Alcohol treatment is available for offenders aged 18 or over and whose offending behaviour is linked to their alcohol consumption. In making this order the court must be satisfied that the offender is dependent on alcohol and could be successfully treated. The alcohol treatment requirement will be provided jointly by the probation service and a third party treatment provider. An offender must be assessed for treatment before this requirement is proposed in the pre sentence report and they must consent to the treatment.
Download Alcohol Treatment leaflet (PDF - 56k)

Mental health treatment

The treatment is supervised by a medical professional and will help the offender to deal with some of the problems that led to their offending. The offender must be 18 or over and must agree to the treatment before sentence.
Download Mental Health Treatment leaflet (PDF - 56k)

Residence requirement