Work carried out by offenders who have been given community service

Summary

The request sought details on the number of offenders on community service and the specific work carried out in the last 12 months. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the total number of offenders and general categories of work but refused to provide specific project details, citing that compiling such data would require creating new information.

Key Facts

• 23 individuals received a Community Service Order between July 2024 and July 2025.
• Work placements include Groupwork projects, individual placements with Third Sector organisations, and Local Authority work.
• 13 individuals are on solely 'Weekend Working Individual Projects'.
• 7 individuals participate in the Thursday Group via a Community Service Supervisor role.
• 1 individual is placed in a UK location.

Data Disclosed

• 23
• 13
• 7
• 1
• 2
• July 2024
• July 2025
• 26 June 2025
• 25 July 2025
• Section 8(3)

Exemptions Cited

• Section 8(3) of the Freedom of Information Act (refusal to create or derive new information)

Original Request

I would like to know the amount of offenders who have been given community service and what work in the community has been carried out in the last 12 months.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Coordinator DHA Headquarters Tromode Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 5AP

Telephone: (01624) 687017 Web address: www.gov.im/dha
Email: DPO-DHA@dha.gov.im

Our ref: 4757841 25 July 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 26 June 2025, which states:

"I would like to know the amount of offenders who have been given community service and what work in the community has been carried out in the last 12 months."

Between July 2024 and July 2025 there are 23 individuals who have received a Sentence of a Community Service Order (CSO) from the IoM Courts. The work carried out by individuals varies as there are some who are placed on Groupwork projects. Others can be put on to individual placements within the local community. Some individuals subject to a community service undertake a combination of Groupwork and Individual Placements. The individual placements are often carried out in partnership with Third Sector/Voluntary Organisations. In addition, some individuals will undertake work as part of their community service (unpaid) using Local Authorities on Island. Regarding the specifics of the work that has been carried out in the community, this information is maintained on the Prison Information Management System which is used by both the Prison and Probation Team. To collect the community service work would require the Department to undertake research into, or analysis of, information that it holds and create or derive new information which the Department is not required to do per Section 8(3) of the Freedom of Information Act. To provide further advice and assistance, the Probation Team have categorised the community work into the following types of service. We have 13 individuals on solely ‘Weekend Working Individual Projects’ however they can also do groupwork or other days on individual projects on other days to get hours done quicker.
We have 7 individuals on the Thursday Group via Community Service Supervisor role and Mini bus re Projects all over the Island.
We have 1 individual in a UK placement.

We have 2 new individuals who are yet to have their induction, and they will be allocated placements once the Induction Process completed.
Further to this, the Probation Team have provided some articles of community service projects that have been completed over the last year Community Service workers thanked for gardens' new look - 3FM Isle of Man Community Service groups assisting with projects Island wide - Manx.News Onchan Commissioners to work with community service scheme - Manx Radio Please quote the reference number 4757841 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.