Impact on Youth and Community
Community service is a vital and effective tool in holding youth accountable for their offenses. Deschutes County Juvenile Community Justice has adopted a restorative philosophy and approach to our community service program by viewing a youth’s service as more than just punishment for their offenses, but as an opportunity and obligation for the offender to repair the harm they have caused to their victim(s) and the community. In addition to offender accountability and reducing a youth’s risk to reoffend, community service program staff focus on helping youth develop the following skills:
- Build social and vocational competencies
- Develop healthy attitudes and relationships
- Make positive connections with their community
- Build empathy and accept personal responsibility for their actions
Participation in meaningful community service projects provides the greatest likelihood for youth to develop these skills, foster a sense of civic responsibility, and gain a better understanding of how their behavior has impacted others. By performing service of true value and benefit to their community, youth have an opportunity to see first-hand how they made a positive contribution in their community and for the environment. They gain experience working with a team and gain the personal satisfaction that comes from helping others in need.
By completing necessary service projects that improve our community, youth are also afforded a unique opportunity to have a positive influence on the public perception directed at youth offenders.
Community Service Crews
Most youth performing community service participate on crews that are supervised by trained and experienced crew leaders. The youth are transported to designated work sites throughout Deschutes County, where they perform a variety of restorative service projects. The offenders work under direct supervision of crew leaders at all times. The crew leaders are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all crew participants and to assisting each youth to successfully complete their community service obligation. A Community Service Release must be signed by the youth and their parent/guardian before they are eligible to participate on a crew.
Community Work Sites
Individual community sites like schools, churches and nonprofit agencies are also selected for offenders to complete their community service obligation. These community work sites are reserved for first-time offenders participating in Community Accountability Services, and for some select youth on probation.
These work sites must be preapproved by the youth's community justice officer and the Community Programs supervisor, who monitors each youth's progress and ensures a timesheet is recorded to verify hours are completed. A Work Site Community Service Release must be signed by the youth and their parent/ guardian before community service hours can be started.
