Image for spinner

Court Referral Community Service Program



Program Information

HandsOn Central California Court Referral Community Service Program is the referral agency for residents of Fresno County who are assigned community service work by the courts or probation. The program provides placement, follow-up, monitoring and reports on offenders referred to complete community service work. Those referred to the program may be from Traffic Court, Adult Diversion Services, the Adult and Juvenile Probation Departments, or directly from the criminal and civil courts with conditional sentences. Referrals for community service work are made in lieu of fines or jail, as a condition of retribution or dismissal, or as an independent, sometimes mandated sentencing option. 

Work assignments are made on the basis of a face to face interview to determine the client's skills, availability, and limitations. Clients are matched to a community not for profit agency to do a wide variety of tasks. All of these tasks enhance the ability of the agencies to provide services to the community. The work assignment involves the offender with the community in a positive, constructive way that benefits both the offender and the community. 

  • A person sentenced in Fresno County, who lives outside of this county, should contact program staff for instructions on how to arrange to do the assigned work where he lives.
  • Walk-in interviews are conducted Monday thru Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM at HandsOn Central California 
  • Community Service locations assignments are available in all parts of Fresno and Madera County.
  • A program fee is charged. The fee is based on the number of hours of work assigned. During the in-person interview program staff will go over the fee schedule. 
  • A person who was assigned community service work in some other counties or state and lives in Fresno County can arrange a transfer to this program from the sentencing jurisdiction. For assistance telephone program staff.
  • You can NOT register for this program online or over the phone, you must schedule an in-person appointment to be assigned to this program for hour completion. 

 

How To Become a Participating Organization

First, we would like to thank you for the work you perform in our community to improve the lives of its residents.  Your interest and willingness to provide community service volunteer work as restitution – allowing people to repay the community for their crimes – helps individuals meet their court ordered obligations.  Organizations we currently work with have found value in the process which introduces a whole new group of people to community service/volunteering who can offer new talents and perspectives to your organization.

HandsOn Central California Court Referral Community Service Program is part of a statewide network that provides high quality, managed volunteer experiences for court referred clients. HandsOn Central California skillfully screens and places the volunteers based on their skill level and reason for court mandated volunteer hours. Any volunteer coming into our program goes through the same screening process and training provided for all incoming volunteers.  We are happy to report that a surprisingly high percentage of participants continue in their assignments even after the required number of hours are completed. Your work helps offenders gain self-confidence, good work habits, a positive work experience, good references, and even new skills.

HandsOn Central California is currently enrolling organizations in the Court Referral Community Service Program.  The process is simple and no cost to you – complete the Application, MOU and Authorized Signature Forms., and submit documentation of liability insurance that covers volunteers (copy of policy or statement). All the forms are available by downloading this pdf file.

If you have questions, please reach out our main office. 

 

“Utilizing this program brought some of the best and most committed volunteers into our program and many continued to volunteer after their sentence was complete. Granted there were a few volunteers that were uninspired and resentful, but the success rate was no lower than the average drop rate of any volunteer program. Managing the paperwork was well worth some of the quality individuals that came through the program. “ – testimony from current non-profit who utilizes court referred community service participants

For more information contact our Court Referral Team at 559-237-3101.

Common Messages