Justice Secretary Angela Constance visited Mayfield & Easthouses Development Trust in Dalkeith where people carrying out unpaid work while serving a community payback order (CPO) transformed the garden from wasteland and refurbished the café, which now uses fresh produce grown on site.

In addition to local community benefit from unpaid work, latest statistics show the reconviction rate for people sentenced to undertake CPOs is 28.4 per cent, compared to 52.6 per cent for those completing short prison sentences of one year or less .

Scotland’s overall reconviction rate of 27.1 per cent is the fourth lowest on record in 25 years, with the average number of reconvictions per offender falling 14 per cent over the past decade.

The Scottish government is investing around £169 million in community justice services in 2026-27, including an additional £10m to support diversion from prosecution, alternatives to remand, community sentencing and throughcare services.

Ms Constance said: “It was great to see first-hand the fantastic work at Mayfield & Easthouses Development Trust, where the garden and café are brilliant examples of how community sentences create real, lasting benefits for local communities.

“The evidence is clear: community-based sentences are more effective than short prison sentences at reducing reoffending, contributing to fewer victims and safer communities. The recently-published Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission’s report echoed this view in some of its recommendations and the need to shift the balance to community justice.

“Community payback orders allow us to tailor support to individual circumstances, addressing the underlying causes of offending while ensuring people make amends to their communities. The Scottish government’s continued investment in community justice reflects our commitment to shifting the balance from custody to community, giving people the best chance to turn their lives around while keeping people safe.”

Mayfield & Easthouses Development Trust manager, Sharon Hill, said: “Our work with the Community Payback Team helps us by giving us access to folks who can help us in a really practical way – whether that be by building, painting, moving or digging. The community payback team benefit from seeing the positive impact of what they have done. It can give a sense of pride and purpose to everyone involved.”