The program accepts from the local criminal courts offenders who would normally have been sentenced to jail; screens them for program suitability; places accepted offenders in prearranged situations where they perform supervised, unpaid community service work for a specific number of hours in direct proportion to the number of days of a jail sentence; and informs the court of the defendants' compliance with the community service sentences. The program now operates almost exclusively under a presentence referral procedure. Offenders referred to the program are more likely to be younger than 19 years old, employed or in school, and are more likely to have been charged with a felony. Offenders are generally assigned to maintenance work and are closely supervised. Data show that sentences were successfully completed by 82.7 percent of offenders. The program is cost-effective, and the offenders have no greater record of rearrests and reconvictions than other, generally less serious, offenders sentenced to probation. Chapter notes, 23 tables, and 2 figures.