These community programs allow the offender to repair some of the harm caused by their crimes while providing opportunities to learn job skills.
- Community Work Service (CWS)
Adult and juvenile offenders are ordered by either the Court or as part of a diversion program to complete Community Work Service. Approximately 400 non-profit agencies partner with Community Corrections to provide work sites for these offenders. Examples include:
- Schools
- Churchs
- Food shelves
- Homeless shelters
- Battered women's shelters
- County libraries.
This program focuses on repairing harm by facilitating conferences in which victims, offenders and community members engage in resolving the consequences of the crime. Trained community volunteers act as facilitators and ensure that all parties are treated fairly and respectfully. Facilitators are also responsible for guiding the participants toward agreements that restore all parties to the greatest degree possible.
- Sentence to Service (STS)
Adult offenders may be court ordered to participate in Sentence To Service (STS), which provides supervised work crews of non-violent offenders to area non-profit agencies and local governmental entities. Offenders work on crews in lieu of jail time or fines; offenders incarcerated at the Dakota County Jail may also participate in STS to reduce their jail time.
The Court uses STS as an alternative to jail, and as a means to repair some of the harm to the community caused by offender crimes. The program also helps offenders re-connect to their communities in a positive manner.
This program provides supervised and structured work crews for juvenile offenders who have been court ordered to perform Community Work Service or to pay restitution to their victim(s). Offenders are able to give something back to the community that is meaningful and observable, and at the same time develop job skills.