It seems that not much progress has been made during the past 10 years in the acceptance of the community sanction. Both its effectiveness as a punishment and as a means of reintegration are being questioned. Still, increasing numbers of people are being placed in community sanctions, which in turn increase in number and variety. The article claims that these types of sanctions may rely on stronger societal support than is sometimes suggested. It also claims that the probation service exercises sufficient control to guarantee execution of the sanctions in the way intended by the judicial authorities. The probation service is not expecting serious problems from increases in community sanctions that will probably arise as a result of recent changes in Dutch penal law. In combining execution and reintegration, community sanctions offer a potentially successful approach to reducing recidivism and thus contributing to safety in society. Notes, references