NCJ Number
75690
Date Published
1980
Length
72 pages
Annotation
The development and operation of a juvenile and adult restitution program administered by the Quincy, Mass., court system are described.
Abstract
Earn-It, now in its fifth year, is the largest adult and juvenile restitution program in the Nation. In 1979, over 1,200 adult and juvenile defendants participated in the program performing work for the community in over 60 public and nonprofit agencies and earning wages in private jobs to pay more then $175,000 in restitution to victims. The program began under the leadership of a Quincy District Court judge, who proposed to put youthful first offenders to work as a means of assuming responsibility for the consequences of their offenses. The program was initiated by inviting local businessmen to a meeting to explain the philosophy of the program and then recruiting them to provide jobs for offenders under the restitution program. A restitution or community service order is put in writing as a contract between the defendant and the victim or the court (when there is no victim). Once offenders are referred to Earn-It for a job, they are referred to the job developer, who has the list of available jobs. Most are placed immediately. An effort is made to match the offender and the job. Community service placements are used in lieu of fines or to fulfill court work orders where there is no victim in the offense. Defendants are assigned to work with nonprofit private agencies and with city public service departments and agencies. Caseload statistics and financial data are provided, along with case descriptions. Forms used in the program are also included.