Effectiveness is one of the major concerns about community penalties. The conclusions of research on this topic generally depend on the observer's perspective in defining and interpreting the data. Home Office studies reveal high recidivism rates for both prison and community penalties. However, recidivism has serious limitations as a measure for effectiveness. Another criticism of community penalties is that their development and expansion do not automatically lead to a reduction in costs or to a decrease in the use of imprisonment. However, other research indicates that a number of community penalties have experienced a decade of solid success and are increasingly earning public and judicial respect. Overall, the debate about the role and purpose of community penalties in the criminal justice process is marred by the confusion surrounding the concept itself, and definitive research is lacking regarding the broad positive or negative effects of these penalties on criminal justice and the wider social structure. Further research and discussion should also focus on the role of government in guiding and affecting correctional practice. 149 references