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Community Service Orders (CSO) Scheme
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Service Description
Community Service Orders (CSO) is a community-based sentencing option pursuant to the Community Service Orders Ordinance, Cap 378. A court may make an order requiring a person of or over 14 years of age and convicted of an offence(s) punishable with imprisonment to perform unpaid work for a number of hours not exceeding 240 hours within a period of 12 months under the supervision of a probation officer [PO(CSO)] who shall also provide counselling and guidance to the offender. |
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Objectives
CSO aims at being both rehabilitative and reparative. Under the order, offenders are required to spend their leisure time to perform community services as reparation to the harm they have done to the community. Through community service and guidance from probation officers, offenders are helped to reform. The main objectives of CSO are as follows:
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Rehabilitation
Through structured work/service placement and the guidance of the probation officers[POs(CSO)] , offenders are helped to observe regulations, take up own responsibility for self-progress, broaden perspective, develop an enriched sense of self-worth, cultivate a more constructive pattern of living and steer away from committing further crime. |
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| (b) |
Constructive disposal
Offenders are allowed to continue living in the community with least disruption to their schooling/employment and religious activities. |
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| (c) |
Reparation
Opportunities are provided for offenders to contribute through performing unpaid work to benefit the community to which they have caused damage. | |
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Nature of Service
| (a) |
In serving the courts, POs(CSO) prepare pre-sentence reports including Probation Officer's Reports and Suitability Reports for Community Service Orders on the rehabilitation of offenders. |
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(b) |
POs(CSO) will provide statutory supervision and personal guidance to the offenders placed on the order. |
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| (c) |
POs(CSO) will arrange unpaid work placement for the offenders while site supervisors will supervise them by giving technical instruction, on-the-spot supervision and practical guidance on various types of work at work sites. | |
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Target Group
The target group is offenders who -
(a) are referred by court for social enquiry; and
(b) are ordered by court to be put under CSO. |
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Address and telephone number of Community Service Orders Office
Room 813, 8/F., Sha Tin Government Offices,
1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Shatin, New Territories.
Tel No : 2158 6547
Fax No : 2609 4178
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Office Hours
(Monday to Friday): 8: 45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays
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