The Newark Advertiser heard people’s thoughts on making criminals do community work

In its weekly voxpop, the Advertiser heard people’s opinions on the government’s suggestion to make criminals do unpaid community work.

It has been reported that Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood is reportedly looking at radical plans to send fewer criminals to prison in a bid to tackle overcrowded jails.

It has been suggested that offenders could work for free doing community work such as filling potholes or cleaning bins instead of serving prison sentences.

Godfrey Codrington said: “It costs about £45,000 to keep someone in prison, so it will be easier if they do some work to actually pay for their stay.”

Isa added: “I was invited to teach maths and English in a prison, and I asked why they didn’t teach them skills instead.

“I think making them do work is a way of punishing them for their crimes while contributing to society.”

Reportedly, under new proposals, the Justice secretary will work with private companies such as supermarkets to give offenders jobs, and their wages would be handed to victims or victim charities.

Councils would also have the chance to assign jobs to convicts who don’t get jail sentences.

Thema Tyrer said: “As long as someone fills in the potholes, I don’t care who it is.

“There is no point in keeping them there for the sake of it, plus it will be cheaper.”

Andrew Watson believes that if they are made to do community work, it should do enforced as some people who have to do community service ‘don’t actually do the work’.

The general opinion of the people the Advertiser spoke to agreed that criminals should do work that is needed in the community, and jobs that need to be done will actually be done, as Maggie Shwartz claimed.

Norma Hall added: “I think getting them to work is far better than having them in a cell doing absolutely nothing, at least they are sort of paying something towards society.”

However, despite the general opinion, some people aren’t in favour of having convicted people back on the street.

Irene Ward said: “As far as I am concerned, if you have done something wrong, you stay there [prison].”