Offenders across Fife were clearing snow and gritting roads yesterday
as a string of community payback orders were put into effect.
And after a day of turmoil on the roads and severe weather
warnings issued across the kingdom, they couldn’t have come at a better time.
A total of thirty low level offenders went out armed with
shovels as part of a judicially issued remuneration program that uses unpaid
manual labour as a formal punishment. 5 squads were sent to the areas of Kirkcaldy,
Glenrothes, Lochgelly, Dunfermline, Cupar and Tayport.
Community payback orders (CPOs) were imposed as an
alternative to a short prison stretch, which sees three quarters of low level offenders given
a sentence of six months or less go on to re-offend within two years of getting
out. CPOs have been proven to prevent the number of people re-offending,
with three
out of five offenders who carry out a CPO not going on to re-offend.
If conditions remain treacherous – as is forecast in some
areas – then these squads will most likely continue their clear up until
conditions improve. Yellow forecast warnings have been broadcast to several
parts of Scotland and temperatures in Fife are expected to be below freezing
overnight.
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