Service Tree

The Service Tree lists all services in "branched" groups, starting with the very general and moving to the very specific. Click on the name of any group name to see the sub-groups available within it. Click on a service code to see its details and the providers who offer that service.

Community Service Work Programs

Programs that hold adult and juvenile offenders accountable for their crimes by having them spend a specified number of hours serving the community or crime victims through uncompensated work in lieu of a fine, restitution or jail. Community work service (CSW) may also be ordered as a condition of probation by the court as a sanction, or it may be stipulated as a condition of diversion. Offenders can work alone and provide service for churches, hospitals, nursing homes, cities, townships, schools, county departments and other public and nonprofit organizations; or can participate in a closely supervised work crew on projects such as picking up litter on highways or in parks. CSW is usually arranged and monitored through a corrections agency, but work assignments and supervision at the work site are normally the responsibility of a community organization such as a local volunteer center or a public agency.

Court Ordered Victim Restitution Services

Programs that oversee compliance with a court order, a condition of voluntary probation or an agreement in lieu of prosecution that an offender restore what a victim has lost (or the equivalent) as a result of a crime or act of delinquency. Staff may contact victims to determine loss amounts, investigate the offender's assets, help the victim present a restitution request to the appropriate authorities, report findings to the court, monitor payments of restitution and/or employ a variety of legally sanctioned methods (such as tax liens and judgment orders) to recover losses for victims in situations where the offender fails to make payments as agreed. In some jurisdictions, these programs collect restitution funds from offenders and make payments to the victim.

Diversion Programs

Community-based programs that provide and/or coordinate the delivery of individual, group and family counseling, training, employment assistance and other prescribed social services for individuals who have been arrested for a minor offense and directed to participate in an educational or treatment program in lieu of prosecution for the offense. In most cases, the courts suspend prosecution for a prescribed period and dismiss charges altogether against those who successfully complete the program. Included are jail diversion programs which ensure that mentally ill offenders receive treatment and support services rather than spend time in jail.

Victim Impact Programs

Programs that offer classes which are designed to help offenders accept responsibility for their criminal actions, understand the impact of crime on victims and the community, and refrain from future criminal behavior. Individual classes may focus on specific types of crimes (generally those involving a personal relationship such as domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse or bullying) or may be intended for a broader range of offenders (e.g., those involved in property crimes, drunk driving, drug-related crimes, robbery, gang violence, sexual assault, homicide). The classes may involve personal presentations by victims of crimes (not specific victims of offenders in attendance but victims in unrelated cases) who describe how their victimization has affected their lives. Parents of incarcerated youth and people who provide services for victims may also participate. Offenders are encouraged to enter into a dialogue with the guest speakers. Victim impact classes have been adapted for both adult and juvenile offenders (the majority being for juveniles) in diversion, probation, prison, pre-release, detention, and parole supervised settings.

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