The Fayette County Juvenile Probation Office through the County Board of Commissioners and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania adopted a program on April 21, 1999 that provides youthful offenders with an opportunity to participate in meaningful and useful work for which they are paid, and with all earnings received by the offender paid to the victim(s) of their particular crime.  This program is known locally as the "Litter Brigade Program".

The Juvenile Probation Office in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) work to clean roadside litter primarily from secondary roads within Fayette County.

The Litter Brigade Program began in April 1999 and is scheduled to continue operation through the summer of 2008.  The program operates between the dates of May 15^th and September 15^th of each year.

This program is available to juvenile offenders who are under the jurisdiction of the Court or probation department, who are required to perform community service and, more importantly, who owe restitution to the victim(s) of their delinquency.

PennDOT reimburses the County at a rate of $14.00 per lane mile cleaned by the participants of the Litter Brigade Program, and each child who participates in the program is credited with a portion of the earnings for each day worked.  All monies earned through this program are credited to the child's restitution account at the Juvenile Probation Office and paid out as restitution to victims.  Juveniles who participate in this program will also have their work time credited against their community service obligations if any is due.

The juvenile must voluntarily enroll into the Litter brigade Program with parental consent.  Participants will be advised of the type of activities associated with this program as well as the associated risks.  Participants will be required to sign an appropriate waiver acknowledging the activities and risks, and holding the County, Court, probation staff, and Commonwealth harmless in the event of accidental injury or death.

The Juvenile Probation Office will be responsible for providing all necessary materials to the participants of the program in order to complete their tasks including helmets, gloves, appropriate clothing when necessary, garbage bags, and transportation to and from the site.  The Juvenile Probation Office will also be responsible to providing supervision over the participants while participating in this program.

Participants will be provided with a brief training session that addresses issues of safety while engaged in this program prior to the commencement of their activities.  Participants who work more than 3 1/2 hours will be provided with lunch.

The community service coordinator at the Juvenile Probation Office, with the help of all probation staff, will be responsible for establishing the Litter Brigade crews and the assignment of the roads to be cleaned.  Crews will be established consist of not more than six (6) workers.  Crews will be supervised by a minimum of two adults consisting of not less than one professional staff person from the Juvenile Probation Office.

Since the programs inception in 1999, nearly $22,000 dollars has been earned from PennDOT and paid out to victims of juvenile crime.  This translates to nearly 785 miles of roadways cleaned within Fayette County.

This is a yearly breakdown of earnings from the Litter Brigade Program:

In 2004, a new facet was added to the Litter Brigade Program.  The Wharton Township supervisors approached the Juvenile Probation Office about operating a Litter Brigade Program within the Township on a year to year basis.  The Township would reimburse the County at the same $14.00 per lane mile cleaned rate as PennDOT does.  The Wharton Township Program operates in the same fashion as the PennDOT Program.  In 2004, 18.8 lanes miles were cleaned in Wharton Township for a total $526.40.  The Wharton Township Program has since been renewed for 2005 as well.

Community Service

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