How does community service work?
<p>When a person is convicted of a crime and required to perform community service, what exactly is involved?</p>

<p>The underlying law in Oregon is <a href="https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_137.128" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ORS 137.128</a>, which says that</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A judge may sentence an offender to community service either as an
alternative to incarceration or fine or probation, or as a condition
of probation. Prior to such order of community service the offender
must consent to donate labor for the welfare of the public. The court
or its delegate may select community service tasks that are within the
offender’s capabilities and are to be performed within a reasonable
length of time during hours the offender is not working or attending
school.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And furthermore,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Failure to perform a community service sentence may be grounds for
revocation of probation or contempt of court.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Subsequent sections set limits on hours of service. §137.131 defines the one no-choice case of community service:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(1) The court shall impose community service as a condition of a
probation sentence when a person is convicted of criminal mischief and
the conduct engaged in consists of defacing property by creating
graffiti unless the sentence includes incarceration in a county jail
or a state correctional institution.</p>
<p>(2) The community service must include removing graffiti, either those
that the defendant created or those created by another, or both.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It isn't clear what rules surround the creation of the community service list. <a href="https://www.multco.us/dcj-adult/alternative-community-service-acs" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Here</a> is the web page for Multnomah County, <a href="https://jacksoncountyor.org/community-justice/Adult-Services/Community-Service" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> is one for Jackson County, and <a href="https://romanolawpc.com/community-work-service-portland-oregon/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> is a Portland lawyer who has a list of community work service providers. That list provides a little bit of information about what is done, e.g. &quot;serving means&quot;, &quot;clean-up&quot;. It appears that an organization must be non-profit. The <a href="https://hsco.org/mandated/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Humane Society page</a> for community service gives a fair amount of detail about what you would be doing, but it is all cleaning up, not e.g. walking dogs.</p>

<h2>It means <a href="https://correctiveservices.dcj.nsw.gov.au/csnsw-home/community-corrections/community-service-work.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">work serving the community</a></h2>
<blockquote>
<p>Community service work can include a range of tasks, from the maintenance of public spaces, to preparing meals for community events. Work can be ongoing, seasonal or one-off, and cannot replace the work of paid employees.</p>
<p>Community Corrections has partnerships with community, government and non-government organisations to provide community service work opportunities for offenders. These organisations are known as ‘community service work partners’, and benefit from accessing labour for work that would otherwise be unable to be completed.</p>
</blockquote>

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