Commentary First Group of Parts – Discipline Part 8 – Sentencing Powers and Mandatory Etc Sentences Section 178: Service community orders
365.This section defines the service community order. This punishment is available only for offenders aged 18 or over on conviction who are civilians, or will be civilians when the punishment takes effect because they are also being sentenced to dismissal, and are expected to live in the UK. It is broadly equivalent to a community order made under section 177 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”), and most of the provisions that apply to such orders are extended to service community orders.
366.A court making a service community order must impose requirements of the kind that can be included in a community order under the 2003 Act, and must specify the local justice area (in England and Wales), locality (in Scotland) or petty sessions district (in Northern Ireland) where the offender lives or will live.
367.Subsection (2) makes the power to include requirements in a service community order subject to broadly the same restrictions as the power to include them in a community order under the 2003 Act.
368.Subsections (3) to (6) apply further provisions of the 2003 Act on community orders to service community orders.