NCJ Number
89542
Date Published
1982
Length
50 pages
Annotation
The Dakota County District Court Community Work Service Demonstration Project (Minnesota), designed to demonstrate the feasibility of using the community work service sanction with adult felon and gross misdemeanant offenders, has been mainly successful in meeting its objectives.
Abstract
This report provides descriptive information about the project which officials may use to plan community work service projects for district courts. The report is based on information collected about the first 70 referrals to the program, which was funded between November 1981 and March 1982. Project goals were to have at least 50 gross misdemeanant and felony offenders participating in the program, with 75 percent completing their community work sentence hours. In addition, the community work service alternative was to be perceived as more just than the usual sentence, and the program would provide measurable repayment to the community in the form of community work. The community work sentence would be less costly than usual institutional sentences for the same offense, and the community work sentence would reduce the time the offender spends in the system compared to the usual sentence for the same offense. Officials participating in the program feel that it has merit and duplicability. Recommendations to improve the program are provided. Data and footnotes are supplied. For related material, see NCJ 89543. (Author summary modified)