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<p>The highest number of previous community orders given to an offender sentenced
to immediate custody for a new offence of six months in each of the last three years
can be viewed in the table.</p><p> </p><p>There is persuasive evidence showing community
sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences
in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community
orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that
over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been
sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other
similar people given community orders.</p><p> </p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying
causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective
community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and
alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider
community.</p>
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