NCJ Number
73009
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A matrix which plots community service hours versus number and seriousness of offense facilitates implementation of a community service program, as shown in a model juvenile restitution program.
Abstract
Since a community service order by the juvenile court should be rehabilitative and not punitive in purpose, a matrix system proves a relatively objective framework for use in ordering service hours. The main consideration in selecting variables used to form such a matrix should be to ensure consistency within a juvenile court jurisdiction. A simplified matrix used in Geauga-Portage Counties defines variables in the broadest of term: felony, misdemeanor, first-time offender, and repeat offender. The structure was designed for functional implementation, equitable ordering of community service, and ease of scheduling worksite hours and of facilitating transportation of youth to worksites. A maximum of 160 community service hours was established in order to ensure that service hours would not exceed the time involved in another dispositional alternative. A more specified model in use in South Carolina considers the type of offense and the number of prior offenses in determining the number of community service hours. This matrix is more formalized than the Geauga model and it almost ensures that similar offenses will receive approximately the same number of community service hours. Implementing community service restitution facilitates both bookkeeping and case management, requires no expenditure of restitution money, and reduces the time between final disposition and the youth's worksite placement, allowing for more efficient program operations. Implementation of a community service component in Geauga County has resulted in a considerable cost savings in comparison to the prior period when only monetary restitution was used. Tabular data and three footnotes are provided.