People doing hours of community service

What do you think ?

mariella22 I’m a little concerned with the amount of detail you’ve given in your post you’ve possibly made yourself identifiable. I would ask for it to be removed.

I find this a strange post.

Cannot believe someone actually left a volunteer role they say they enjoyed as felt that somehow, fellow workers were beneath them.

As for the story about the killing of this young woman, it appears it was a totally tragic accident, not anything deliberate. Bet that young man feels absolutely devastated.

Would you also refuse to work by veterans who may have (deliberately) killed other people?

Judgemental much?

It doesn’t sound like a deliberate action but a really tragic and careless accident. The court will have heard evidence and read reports about it and the person involved, who could be devastated by what happened. The court will have decided on sentencing based on all they hear.
100 hours does seem little for a young life lost so mindlessly and absolutely heartbreaking for the victims family.
It’s a shame you feel you cant continue volunteering there, but if run properly community service can work and is a way of paying something back into society as well as a punishment. I am not sure why being friendly should be frowned upon. It’s supposed to be about reintegrating people into society, or it was when I was loosely involved.
Prison does very little as a rule other than reinforcing prisoners’ negative views of society and doesn’t help them change their ways.

Simple solution - volunteer elsewhere.

Years ago a lady from our village - a real pillar of society - pulled out from a side road and killed a motor cyclist. She was fined but I expect today she would have been given community service. It was a tragic moment of inattention and caused devastation all round but a prison sentence wouldn't have changed anything. Not wanting to work with people doing community service seems a bit extreme.

We send far too many people to prison. Community Service is a well recognised, positive alternative to prison.

I’m glad you resigned. Your judgemental uninformed attitudes aren’t helpful

How pompous ..have you been in that position i wonder . I am a kind gentle person . I am dismayed at the responses . I hoped for support really and empathy . Regret my post to a group who I felt might understand . Sadder and wiser .

What position?
I’ve certainly been in the position of working with offenders, in helping to create alternatives to prison

What a judgemental post!

Every sinner has a future and every saint a past.

You have obviously read the courts understanding of what happened.
He was not trained to operate that lorry safety.
The swing out staberlisers hadn’t been checked since 2005
If anyone should be going to prison it’s his employer.
It was obvious from the drivers words that he’s devastated.

Well said Sago (sage)

But the chap in question wasn’t in your shop was he?
We had some people doing Community Service in the Charity shop I volunteered in, I didn’t ask why they were there, because I really didn’t want to know, but none of them were from our local town.
Some were fine and worked really hard, some only came once and had to be reported for not turning up.
Bit I don’t understand - if you are volunteering for a Charity you are helping people from all walks of life, some good, some bad, Charities don’t only help law abiding citizens.

Many years ago my DH was on the jury for a "Sheriff and Jury Trial (Scottish Law) and they found the offender guilty. The circumstances were very similar to the one being discussed here and they had no option to find the driver guilty but thought a long prison sentence was too harsh. At that time there was no option of Community Service and he went to prison for "life" (15years back then) but as he had no previous convictions of any kind and his employer and others spoke up for him he served 10yrs and then came back into the community. I also agree with *MerylStreep" that his employer should have been on trial also.

In my work, I met someone who had been caught up in an awful situation like this.

Nobody could have punished her more than she has punished herself.

Wow! Ever made a mistake? He didn’t knowingly harm anyone. I’m sure he’s more than mortified that he’s responsible for this person’s death. If you were really as kind and gentle as you say you’d have some understanding.

mariella22 voluntary work is generally giving back to the community, all communities are a mix of people. I volunteer too, I don’t know the history of the people I help, they need help, that’s what matters.
I think you expected full support here for your decision, most of us here are more open minded.
Are you perhaps doubting your decision, seeking validation?

So sad to hear your reply..

I suggest you don't work with people as you have no idea what their pasts are either.

The man in the lorry must feel dreadful and has to live with the results of that accident forever, I think that is punishment enough.

Of course, it's entirely your choice if you want to avoid certain people, but you are missing out on so much.
It's such a shame.

I think all people are equal. We are given different opportunities and upbringings which means some folk are very fortunate and others are less so. Please Mariella try and get to know these folk you are wary of and you will see the beauty in their personalities and hopefully gain some understanding of their more troubled lives.

So we are talking of an act of carelessness that had very unfortunate consequences, and you do not want to work in a shop with this person. Why? .... just why? Any one of us could make a mistake that had a tragic outcome, especially those of us who drive. There but for the grace of god ...........

I cannot believe that a charity shop would shun fellow humans beings who are paying their debt to society - what kind of inhuman charity is this?

I remember that people on community service used to mow and clear the churchyard and some people in the village - and indeed in the church - would not speak to them. Unbelievable.

I am not clear whether the OP left because she did not want to be in the circle of charity workers who shunned those on community service, or because she did not want to be with the community service workers themselves. Perhaps she would like to clarify.

How pompous