When you are charged with a crime, you may receive a variety of punishments. At worst, you might be sentences to years in prison, where you will need to serve time for your crimes. At best, you may be given fines, probation, or a community service sentence. These punishments are less intense, and teach criminals the value of working hard and serving humankind while allowing them to reflect on their wrongs. You may have seen those bright orange vests on the side of the road, where people are picking up litter in the weeds, or the same bright vests at a park refurbishing the landscape. These are community service workers, who serve their sentence with manual labor that benefits the community around them.
By using community service as a punishment, states are able to get much-needed projects off the ground and teach inmates or criminals the value of doing well for others. Many states have even created a special alternative sentencing department which keeps a list of tasks that community service criminals can accomplish during their days on the job. When given a community service sentence, a criminal is expected to spend a certain amount of days doing whatever the state or local government issues them. These tasks can range from planting trees to smoothing roadways or picking up highway-side litter, and the sentences vary from one day to hundreds, depending on the crime.
To begin the community service sentence, the court or probation officer sends an alternate sentencing community service organization a referral. Next, they will review the criminal's case. The alternative sentencing group may also call the criminal, and then conduct an interview to decide where the person would best fit. Once the worksite placement is secure, the criminal is monitored by program staff and the court gets an update on all of his or her progresses or demises. Hardworking, dedicated community service workers may be able to get their sentenced shortened if they are effective.
In many local governments, the following sentences can sometimes be satisfied with community service: a conditional discharge, an order of probation, a violation of probation, and an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. Also, some violations, misdemeanors, and Class E and D felonies can be satisfied with this medium. Men and women who are convicted of violent crimes or sexual abuse are not eligible for community service in most situations, and any criminal with a physical, mental, or emotional disability will not normally be admitted.
If you think that you are eligible for community service, you should talk to your attorney before your trial. In some cases, you may be able to suggest a community service alternative and be relieved of other sentences and punishments. The community service hours are calculated so that they are appropriate and equivalent to the offense and the offender. In most cases, the sentencing court will determine the amount of hours with help from the jury, but your attorney may be able to have some input in this as well. Men and women who are not physically fit for community service may be denied.
People can receive a community service sentence for all sorts of offenses. Last year, a juror who tried to "friend" the defendant in her case was sentenced to two days of community service. While jurors are told to keep quiet about what goes on in the court room, this woman was posting about the case on her Facebook wall for all her friends to read. While this is an obscure example, people are also awarded community service for crimes like DUIs or civil offenses. Make sure to talk to your attorney about the option of community service.
