LEON COUNTY PROBATION-Community Service

Community Service may be ordered as a condition of County Probation. Community Service involves performing court-ordered volunteer work at a non-profit agency. Your Leon County Probation Officer will assign you to an appropriate Community Service agency after the $30 insurance fee has been paid. You will then be given a “Volunteer Report Form” that will provide the necessary information regarding your assigned agency. Once Community Service hours have been completed, the “Volunteer Report Form” must be turned in to the Probation office. The hours completed will be verified by the Community Service Coordinator. Hours of availability are contingent upon each agency’s business hours.

The work program is under the direct supervision of the county’s Public Works Department. Clients are advised hours of operation are 7:00 am-6pm, Tuesday-Sunday and they select which days they are available to work. The work program entails 10 hour days of manual labor on a Leon County work crew, supervised by a foreman from the Division of Operations. A $35 fee will be assessed for each client that has an unexcused absence and they will not be allowed to schedule future dates to work until the fee is paid.

Administrative Order 95-1 authorizes the State Attorney’s Office to operate a Misdemeanor Diversion Program in accordance with Florida Statute 939 and 944. The defendant must be an offender of an eligible misdemeanor offense, view an educational video that helps to divert the defendant from committing other crimes, perform required hours on the Work Program and pay the required fines and program fees. The following categories of misdemeanor crimes are eligible: Disorderly Conduct, Disorderly Intoxication, Petit Theft, Possession of Alcohol by a Minor, Possession of Cannabis, Open Container Violation, Loitering/Prowling, Unlawful Use of a Driver License, Unlawful Display of a Driver License, Littering, Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Open House Party.

The defendant is given ninety (90) days to complete the Diversion Program, although this term may be extended at the discretion of the Misdemeanor Diversion Program Coordinator, Amy Lee. Ms. Lee can be reached at 850-606-6000.

Upon successful completion of the program a "No Information" is filed with the clerk, dismissing all charges by the State Attorney's Office.

If you have questions about the Diversion program, please contact the State Attorney's office at 850-606-6000.

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Below please find a list of frequently asked questions to help with any inquires you may have prior to contacting the appropriate person/department.

The Work Program Office is located in the Leon County Courthouse: Probation Division on the 4^th Floor, Room 441. The Leon County Courthouse is located at 301 S. Monroe St. in downtown Tallahassee.

You must report to Leon County Operations Center located at 2280 Miccosukee Road in Tallahassee, Florida. It is one mile east of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital on the left. See sign that says: “Leon County Operations”. This is where you will report for in order to complete your work program days. http://www.mapquest.com/directions

The work program operates every day except Mondays and holidays. The work day begins promptly at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m. Sign-up for the work program is on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Only a limited number of people can be accommodated each day.

You will be informed by the work program staff what tasks you will be performing when you report for the work program. Tasks may include the following: litter pick-up, washing equipment, brush cutting, sweeping floors, raking leaves, making/laying sandbags, hay stacking/storage, dead animal burial and flagging traffic.

Please Note: The Leon County Work Program consists of 10 hours of manual labor outdoors. There is no light duty on the county work program. If you are ordered by the court to complete work program days, it is expected that you are physically able to perform manual labor tasks outdoors. If you have a medical condition that would preclude you from performing manual labor for 10 hours a day, please inform your Probation Officer prior to signing up for work program days. If you are on the State Attorney’s Office Diversion Program and you have a medical condition that would preclude from performing manual labor for 10 hours a day, please contact the State Attorney’s office at 850-606-6000.

Yes, all participants are required to present a valid picture I.D. each time they check in for the work program. You will not be allowed to work if you do not have a valid picture I.D.

The $30.00 fee provides insurance coverage for clients in the event that an injury occurs while participating in the work program. The insurance provides coverage up to $5,000. Any expenses incurred beyond the $5,000 limit are the responsibility of the client.

No, the county does not provide transportation to the work program. It is your responsibility to arrange transportation to and from the work program.

Cell phones are not allowed at the work program under any circumstances. Anyone bringing a cell phone to the work program will be counted as “Absent” for the day and sent home. Please leave cell phones in your vehicle or at home – DO NOT bring a cell phone to the work program.

There is a phone available for limited use in the event you need to call for a ride. Please inform work program staff if you need to use the phone for this purpose.

Yes, you should report to the work program in the event of bad weather. Work program staff will provide further instruction upon arrival.

Under no circumstances will you be allowed to leave the work site. You must work the entire 10 hour day in order to be given credit. If you choose to leave the work site early, you will be counted as “Absent” for the day and you will be required to pay the $35.00 “No Show” fee before you will be allowed to sign up for another work day.

If you have questions about the County Work Program, please contact the Work Program Office at 850-606-5626.

If you have questions about conditions of your probation, please contact your probation officer.