ONE-FIFTH of criminals in Rushmoor and Hart have breached their community orders during the past three years, new figures show.

The statistics also showed that a third of community orders imposed and finished in the last year alone were breached by defendants.

The information, provided by the Hampshire Probation Trust, shows 20% of community orders handed out at local courts were breached, either because a suspect failed to comply with the terms of the order or because they committed a further offence.

But the trust, which works with offenders in Hart and Rushmoor, said tough community sentences could still be more effective than a short prison sentence in the rehabilitation of criminals.

The statistics, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, revealed that 781 community orders had been made since 2009. Of these, 162 (20.74%) are still outstanding, mainly because orders that span one or two years might not have ended.

Of the orders that have finished, 156 (19.97%) were breached and 85 of those were revoked, the figures showed.

A probation spokesman said some breached orders will be revoked so that a harsher sentence, including a prison term, can be imposed insted.

But magistrates and judges might not always revoke certain orders, particularly if the breach is not sufficiently serious, or if an existing order can be changed.

Offenders who breach an order can then sometimes go on to successfully complete it, the spokesman added.

More than half of the 227 orders imposed last year are still ongoing but current statistics show 32 of the 98 completed orders were breached, while 13 had to be revoked.

The spokesman said the compliance figure would probably be higher for 2011, once the outcome of the outstanding orders was known.

In 2009, the year from which all but four orders have been completed, 56 (21.37%) of the 262 orders made against those living in the two boroughs were breached, of which 42 had to be revoked.

Meanwhile in 2010, the 292 community orders made in the two areas included 68 (23.29%) breaches, while 29 (9.93%) remain outstanding.

This shows an overall picture of nearly 60% complying with their orders during the three years, with 20% still considered incomplete.

Chris Mitchell, director of offender management at the probation trust, said the figures showed the "overwhelming majority" of people sentenced to community orders completed them successfully.

He said: “It is our role to ensure we enforce the punishment set by the court. The offenders we work with often lead chaotic lives which means some of them do not always adhere to their punishment.

“When this occurs, we will breach the offender and send them back to court where they may find themselves in prison.

“Public protection is our main priority and a tough community sentence can be more effective than a short prison sentence in rehabilitating offenders.”

Community orders, which can be given for a range of offences, are one of the most common forms of punishment in courts. Terms of the order can include probation supervision, a curfew, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes and unpaid work.

The aim is for offenders to serve their sentence in the community, rather than in jail, keeping people out of overcrowded prisons.

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