What is a reparation order?
A Reparation Order is a sentence imposed by the courts to:
- Show you the harm you have done to the community
- Help you realise the distress and inconvenience your actions have caused
- Encourage you to accept responsibility for your acts
- Give something back to any victim of the offence, or to the community
How does it work?
On leaving the court you will have been given an information leaflet, along with a time and date for your first appointment with a member of the Youth Offending Service, at Rosemead. You must keep this appointment.
At this first appointment you should learn who your Supervising Officer will be. You will also be able to ask any questions you may have about how the Reparation Order works and what happens next.
At court you may be seen by someone from the YOS who will prepare a report for the court. The information you give will help the court to decide on the right sentence for you. The report is called a Stand Down report. The report will have included any views of the victim of your offence, and whether or not they are prepared to accept any direct contact with you.
The Reparation Order will have been given for a fixed number of hours up to a maximum of 24 hours. This is the amount of your time you have to spend giving ‘reparation’ that is doing some sort of work, to either the victim of your offence, or to the community.
This may include:
- Helping out at some local community organisation, such as a charity shop
- Doing work within the community, such as picking up litter or removing graffiti
- Making a written apology to the victim
- Being involved in face to face contact with the victim, either to discuss the effects your actions have had on them, or to do some sort of work for them
At the end of the Reparation Order, the court will be informed of your progress.
What is expected of me?
Whilst subject to a Reparation Order you will be required to:
- Notify any change of address
- Attend where and when required
- Arrive on time for appointments
- Comply with any reasonable directions of your supervisor at the time
- Comply with any health and safety instruction given to you by your supervisor at the time, such as wearing protective clothing.
You are required not to:
- Attend whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Become involved in violent or aggressive behaviour, or use language or behaviour that may cause offence to others
- Deliberately obstruct the work that is being carried out, for example, by refusing to co-operate.
What if I miss an appointment?
It is very important that you keep your appointments with your Supervisor, or at your place of reparation work. If you are genuinely unable to keep your appointment, contact your Supervising Officer as soon as possible and you will be given another time. It may be that you have a job interview or a doctor’s appointment, but remember your Supervising Officer will ask for proof of this.
If you miss an appointment without good reason, or break any of the rules, you may be given a warning letter. Any subsequent missed appointments or breaches of the order may result in your return to court. You may be returned to court without first being given a formal warning, depending on the circumstances.
When a young person is returned to court for breach, the court may allow the order to continue but with an additional sentence e.g. a fine or they may impose a different sentence instead of the Reparation Order.
