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Community and Punishment Rehabilitation Order

A Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Order [CPRO] or "Combination Order" is a Court Order, which is made to help you to avoid further offending. It is made up of an element of supervision [Community Rehabilitation] and a Community Service [Community Punishment] element. It can last up to three years and you will be expected to undertake unpaid work for a specified length of time, which can be between 40 and 100 hours. The Order is supervised by a Youth Offending Service worker and a Community Service Officer who are there to advise, assist and encourage you, and to help to prevent you re-offending.

What does it mean?

It means that you will be given:

  • Help in keeping out of further trouble
  • Advice in areas in which you may be having problems, e.g. at home, school/college or work, or with other people or with drugs
  • Support from your Youth Offending Service worker who is there to see you regularly and listen to what you have to say.
  • A detailed plan for what is going to be done during your Order will be agreed with you and your parents / carers during the first week. This is called a Supervision Plan. The plan will be reviewed every three months.

What part do I play in the order?

Under a Combination Order [CPRO] you will have to:

  • Complete unpaid work in the Community for between 40 and 100 hours arranged by your Community Service Officer
  • Keep your appointments with your Youth Offending Service worker and your Community Service Officer
  • Work with them to look at why you offend and ways in which you can change your behaviour
  • Carry out any other things you have agreed to do
  • Act responsibly whilst on supervision in your Community and when attending all appointments

What else can I be asked to do?

Other conditions may be attached to your Order. These will be explained to you separately by your YOS worker

Who will know I am on a Combination Order?

Under the Order there will be times when your Youth Offending Service worker will visit you at home and discuss your progress with your parents/carers.

It may also be helpful to talk to your school, youth club, or employer. You will be asked what you think about this before it happens.

What can go wrong?

If you do not co-operate with your Youth Offending Service worker and your Community Service Officer, you will be taken back to Court for being in breach of the Order.

If the breach is proved, the Court may then deal with you in some other way, such as:

  • Sentence you again or re-sentencing you for the original offence
  • Allowing the Order to continue
  • Imposing a Fine either on you or your parents (depending on your age)
  • Giving you another chance under supervision on the order
  • Making an Attendance Centre Order

What if I do well?

When this happens, your Youth Offending Service worker will contact the Court and ask for the Order to be ended early. This can only happen if you have completed the hours of Community Service that the Court ordered you to do and have successfully completed at least half of the supervision element.

To do this, you will go back to Court with a report from your Youth Offending Service worker saying how well you have done.