ABSTRACT
This chapter will analyse the political and legislative changes that occurred at the end of the twentieth century and in particular, the contrasts and similarities between Conservative and Labour social and penal policy agenda. It will become clear that ‘community’ has been central to many recent debates and changes — from the use of the term ‘community charge’ for what was popularly known as the ‘poll tax’ early in the Thatcher reform period, to the use of community wardens to assist the police in ‘beat’ duties in the new millennium. Because this book is concerned with punishments that take place in the offender's ‘community’, a consideration of its meaning is Appropriate.
