Center for Community Justice
Serving Elkhart County, Indiana
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COMMUNITY SERVICE RESTITUTION PROGRAM Since 1979, the Community Service Restitution Program (CSRP) has provided an avenue for offenders to complete over 280,000 hours of court-ordered labor for nonprofit and governmental organizations. CSRP provides a structured, meaningful way to reintegrate offenders into the community, and helps them “pay back” the community for the harm they have done. CSRP provides Elkhart County judges an alternative sentencing option for non-violent offenders, through which they are held accountable to take pro-active steps toward making things right with their community. In addition to facilitating the performance of valuable work in our community, CSRP helps keep down our county correctional costs by providing a mechanism of accountability short of incarceration. 1. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES CSRP clients are expected to attend an intake appointment where staff will explain the program, their responsibilities, and answer questions. After placement and schedule issues are resolved, the client signs a CSRP contract. Clients are expected to complete the contract in a timely and productive manner. (return to top) 2. FAQ Is there a fee? When do I pay it? An administrative fee is due at the time of the intake appointment. Community service cannot begin until the fee is paid. Where can CSRP hours be performed? At a non-profit or governmental organization near the client’s home. How long will it take? How many hours will I have to do? The court specifies on the CSRP referral how many total hours will have to be done. The CSRP contract stipulates that a minimum of 6 hours for adults and 3 hours for juveniles must be done per week. What happens if I am unable to do the minimum hours per week? Each contract allows 6 excused and 3 unexcused absences. If a client has a medical problem that prevents the completion of the contracted weekly hours, communication from the medical provider is required. (return to top) 3. VOLUNTEERING WITH CSRP The volunteer opportunities in CSRP are generally office related; filing and data entry are the two most needed. There are also opportunities for work crew leaders with some training. (return to top) 4. PROGRAM BENEFITS CSRP is an essential program for this community. It keeps many people who are non-violent offenders out of jail by providing an alternative avenue for reparation to the community. As a result, it also saves the taxpayers money, as fewer offenders are incarcerated. CSRP gives offenders an opportunity to learn that everyone has responsibilities to their community. The statistics of the rising need for this program and the success that it has achieved are elsewhere on the Webpage. (return to top) |
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CSRP QUICK LINKS
A CLIENT STORY |