Ms Claire Casey:

I can give some other examples of the things that have been talked about - the kinds of supports that have been put in place under the pilot projects and the alternatives to financial reparation. People who do not have the money to make repayments can take on community service or do voluntary work instead. The disadvantages of this approach are the same as the disadvantages of anything. It involves making a commitment to having a longer-term relationship with an offender than one would have if one simply sent him or her to prison. It is more labour-intensive in the community, as has been mentioned. The cost-effectiveness of investing now might not be seen until 15 years down the road. It is the same argument - prevention, in the form of early intervention, is better than cure. The disadvantages relate to the challenges associated with taking an interagency approach to finding a new way to work with people. It might take a little while for it to bed down.