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Brooklyn Community Service Sentencing Options
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Community Service Sentencing Options in Brooklyn
Dealing with legal trouble can be really overwhelming. Like, trying to navigate the court system and figure out your options is no fun. But there are programs in Brooklyn to help make things a little easier.
Community Service Sentencing Overview
Lots of folks who get convicted of low-level crimes in Brooklyn end up with community service sentences. Basically you gotta do a certain number of hours working for free with local organizations instead of jail time. The court assigns you a case manager to hook you up with placements kinda based on your skills and interests.
Some people think it’s no big deal to knock out community service. But really it can be tough fitting the hours in around work and family. And if you miss deadlines the judge can make you serve time behind bars. So you gotta take it seriously.
Common Community Service Placements
- Animal Shelters – Cleaning kennels, walking dogs, etc.
- Homeless Shelters – Serving meals, sorting donations, maintenance.
- Parks & Recreation – Landscaping, trail maintenance, coaching sports.
- Community Gardens – Planting, weeding, harvesting produce.
- Libraries & Schools – Shelving books, tutoring students, office work.
There’s lots of other random stuff too like helping out at thrift stores, food banks, and churches. They try to match you up with something suitable but you usually don’t get much choice in the matter.
Finding Your Own Placements
In some cases the court will let you find your own community service gig instead of assigning you to one. This is kinda nice cuz you can pick something that fits your schedule and interests more. But you gotta get it approved first and there’s still a ton of rules.
Good places to checkout are local nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity, soup kitchens, museums, community theaters, animal shelters etc. As long as they’re cool with taking on volunteers to fulfill court orders it could work.
Hour Requirements
The number of community service hours ordered really varies case by case. But here’s some typical amounts:
| Offense | Hours |
| Minor in Possession of Alcohol | 20-40 hours |
| Shoplifting | 40-60 hours |
| DUI 1st Offense | 100+ hours |
That’s just for misdemeanors though. Sometimes judges will even sentence felons to hundreds or even thousands of hours. It all depends on the charges and your criminal history.
Reporting Requirements
To make sure you actually do all the work, you’ll have strict reporting rules. Typically you gotta track hours on a log sheet that your supervisor signs off on. Then you submit it to the case manager on schedule. If the sheet shows you skipped hours or faked signatures, that could mean major trouble.
They also do random phone and site checks with the organizations you’re placed with. So it’s really risky trying to cheat the system. Just do the time and get it over with.
Finding a Brooklyn Community Service Lawyer
If you got slapped with a community service sentence, having a local lawyer help out could make a big difference. They can potentially get your hours reduced or even waived entirely through negotiations. Here’s some solid Brooklyn community service attorneys to check out:
- Frankel & Abrams – Well known firm fighting Brooklyn community service sentences for over 20 years. Check out reviews on r/Brooklyn.
- Lipsky Criminal Defense – Aggressive lawyers who’ve gotten hundreds of clients out of unfair community service sentences. See their guide.
- Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. – Highly rated firm by Avvo and Lawyers.com. Over 25 years representing Brooklyn community service cases.
No matter which route you go, having an experienced Brooklyn lawyer in your corner can make all the difference. Don’t just take what the courts give you – fight back!