Community detention could soon become an option within Alexandra and Cromwell for people convicted of crimes within Central Otago.
At the moment, sentences of home and community detention are not available in the district.
The limited number of appropriate sentences within Central Otago often results in offenders being given harsher penalties, including time in jail.
Community Probation and Psychological Services area manager Monique Cunningham said the eligibility of Alexandra and Cromwell for community detention were being considered.
Mrs Cunningham, who is based in Dunedin and covers Southland, Otago, and lower Canterbury, said she could not confirm whether the towns would comply for community detention at this stage.
"It is a possibility and we are working on it at the moment. We hope to have it up and running shortly but I can't get any confirmation on it just yet," she said.
Alexandra lawyer Tim Cadogan said the possibility of community detention was a great thing for the district.
"It means that offenders who would most likely otherwise go to prison are able to stay in the community and stay working.
"With a young offender, for instance, if they go to jail and lose their job they are way behind in their careers when they get out from prison, and are therefore less likely to get work and become useful members of society," Mr Cadogan said.
Community detention worked like a strict curfew, with offenders being released from their homes to attend work, and then being required to stay at a particular address while not working, he said.
"Since the provisions [for community detention] came in last year, I have seen dozens of people, who would have been eligible for community detention, go through the Alexandra District Court and end up in jail.
"It's a really great thing that we may be getting community detention here at last," he said.
