ABQ benefiting from community service programs

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - They are the workers New Mexicans rarely see, clocking in but not for money.

These community service workers are non-violent offenders working off a sentence handed down by metro court judges and court officials say the program benefits more than the convicted.

Tax payers and non-profit groups, like Animal Humane, are also benefiting.

“It helps us, we basically have three employees a year that we don’t pay for,” Animal Humane Facilities Manager Vince Mouser, said.

The non-profit group says each year hundreds of community service workers help keep it running saving it a lot of green.

“If we just took hourly wages, probably about $80,000 a year,” Mouser said.

Animal Humane's savings are only a fraction of how much money these community service jobs are saving.

Court officials say APS also benefits.

For fiscal year 2012 the courts say mandatory community service sentences equated to more than 2,000 hours of work, saving the district more than $19,000 in wages.

For the entire city of Albuquerque, which includes work at city parks, a combined 20,000 hours of work equals a savings of more than $148,000, all tax- payer money.

However Animal Humane says some of the community service workers have found a deal of their own by getting hired after their sentence is complete.

“Since I have been here, the last five years I believe we brought in a total of eight,” Mouser said.

The savings go beyond those sentenced to community service.

Those who are ordered to pay fines but can not afford them are also sometimes allowed to do community service instead.