California DUI - Community Service

Convicted California drunk-driving offenders face severe consequences that often include substantial fines and jail time.  However, both California courts and District Attorney Offices have recognized that sentencing alternatives can prove to be more beneficial to both society and  California DUI offenders.  One sentencing alternative that is sometimes available to DUI offenders is community service.

The community service alternative is generally in conjunction with a probation requirement.  In California DUI misdemeanor cases, probation consists of either supervised or summary probation.  Supervised probation requires that DUI offenders report to an assigned probation officer who, because of the community service alternative, will have California DUI offenders perform various community service tasks in addition to possible alcohol/drug testing and/or rehabilitation programs.  Under summary probation, DUI offenders do not have to “report” regularly to a probation officer, but they still have to perform some form of community service and then provide the courts with proof that such service is completed.  It should be noted that if a DUI offender fails to obey all terms of the probation, including completing community service, he or she may be found in violation of probation, which then results in mandatory jail time.