Surrey Probation Area

Over 65,000 hours of compulsory unpaid work are completed every year in Surrey.  This equates to approximately £325,000 of free labour provided to local communities as offenders pay back for the crimes they have committed. Offenders can be sentenced to between 40 and 300 hours of compulsory unpaid work as a requirement of a Community Order.

Community Payback is a new initiative by the National Probation Service that is now operating in Surrey and gives local residents the chance to have their say over how offenders pay back the community.

Often this work goes unnoticed and Community Payback aims to address this by giving the local residents the opportunity to play a part in deciding the kind of work that is carried out.

The compulsory unpaid work by offenders in the south east varies from environmental projects to supporting local charities. However, all the different types of work provided for offenders are either physically or intellectually demanding.  Projects typically include garden or conservation work, painting and decorating, cleaning and shop work.  The offenders will need to use problem solving skills as well as practical skills to complete the projects.

Surrey communities, faith groups, businesses, voluntary groups and local authorities are being encouraged to nominate projects they would like to see the Probation Service become involved with. If the project is accepted, and when the work is completed, it is branded with the "Community Payback" logo to show where offenders have contributed positively to the neighbourhood.

We can't do this without your help!  We need to know about projects you think we could work on.

Projects must meet the following criteria:

• They must benefit the local community.
• They must not take paid work away from others.
• No one must make a profit from the work.
• They must be worthwhile, constructive and give offenders new skills.
• Offenders must be seen to be putting something back into the community.
• In addition the cost of materials must be supplied by the beneficiary.
• Offenders usually work as part of a team, monitored by a supervisor, and will work all day with short breaks. Our unpaid work team will assess the project for suitability and for health and safety implications. 

Link to Project Suggestion Form.