NCJ Number
91404
Date Published
1982
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Restitution and community service orders as punishments for juvenile offenses provide a more positive experience of accountability and responsibility of the offender than does institutionalization, while giving the victim compensation or the community the benefit of positive service.
Abstract
Traditionally, juveniles have either been institutionalized or been released with only a warning when they have committed offenses. There is a need for gradations of punishment appropriate to the offense and the characteristics of the offender. Restitution and community service provide punishment alternatives that appear to achieve a number of benefits for juvenile offenders brought before the Quincy juvenile court (Massachusetts). Under a restitution program, the juvenile learns that he/she must bear the cost and certain punitive consequences for harm done to others and to community peace and order. Further, it gives the offender the opportunity on many occasions to learn directly from the victim the financial and psychological harm done by his/her behavior. Restitution may include providing the victim money earned by the offender in the amount required to cover financial damages suffered by the victim as a result of the offense or service provided by the offender to the victims or the community that acts as a positive contribution to compensate for the negative impact of the offense. When possible, the community service should be a logical compensation for the harm done by the offense. Studies indicate that victims and others who benefit from community service by juvenile offenders applaud these sentencing alternatives, particularly when they are involved in the processing of the case and are informed about the nature of the disposition.