You may get a community sentence if you are convicted of a crime by a court but are not sent to prison. 

You may have to do unpaid work in your local community, like removing graffiti. This is called Community Payback. 

Community sentences can be given for crimes such as: 

• damaging property 

• benefit fraud 

• assault 

You may get a community sentence if:  

• the court thinks you are more likely to stop committing crime than if you go to prison 

• it is the first time you have committed a crime 

• you have a mental health condition that affects your behaviour 

See also:  

• Community Payback  

• Treatment and programmes 

• What you can and cannot do while on a community sentence 

• Community sentences if you are under 18 

Additional information on community sentences can be found on GOV.UK's website.