Community service, which involves unpaid public service work for offenders for a specified number of hours over a specified period, is typically used for minor offenses (primarily theft and traffic offenses) with offenders not having serious criminal records. It has been used relatively little in France since it was introduced as a sentencing option on January 1, 1984. Adult offenders may be assigned from 40 to 240 hours of community service over 18 months, and juveniles may be assigned half this number of hours over 1 year. The work must be done for a public entity serving the community. The type of work includes environmental improvement, building maintenance, administrative work, and the organization of training and community activities. Community service in France has supplanted the use of fines more than the use of imprisonment. 4 tables and 51 footnotes.