The Big Payback

What is Community Payback?

Unpaid Work is a sentence available to courts. It is intended as a punishment and also as a means by which offenders can make amends to the community for the harm they have caused. The scheme is known as Community Payback.

The sentence is set by the court at anything between 40 and 300 hours depending on the seriousness of the crime and the offender's record. In Sussex offenders must work at least seven hours - or one full day - per week, either as part of a group or on a single placement. Community Payback offenders are at work in Sussex seven days a week. The type of work carried out includes:

• Landscaping and forestry
• Grounds clearance
• Building and maintenance
• Painting and decorating
• Litter picking and graffiti removal

It's Paying Off

Last year offenders sentenced by the courts completed a total of 230,000 hours of unpaid work under Sussex Probation Area's Community Payback initiative - making vast improvements to community facilities, the environment, public buildings, open spaces and local neighbourhoods and improving the quality of life of thousands of residents.

In this section of the website you'll find out more about some of the fantastic projects we're delivering in partnership with local people and how Community Payback could help you.