LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's new district attorney is taking a new approach to some community service sentences in order to gain increased support for victim-related services.

Don Anderson, who took office in January, said he's implementing a new diversion program that allows offenders from out of state to make monetary restitution in lieu of community service.

When people from outside of California are convicted of crimes and sentenced to community service, they can get clearance to complete their community service out of state, which Anderson said doesn't benefit Lake County, where the crimes were committed.

Instead, in eligible cases, he and his staff are presenting to defendants the option of paying $10 per hour of community service – the rate approved by the courts – to settle the requirement.

That payment, once approved by the court, wipes out the community service requirement and can be used to assist with local causes, said Anderson.

In January, New Yorker Justin Lazard, who reached a plea deal on a misdemeanor count of lewd conduct in public for exposing himself in Library Park in July 2006, agreed to pay $7,500 to Lake Family Resource Center. That was the first case in which Anderson said he and his staff offered the diversion option.

“I think the courts see the benefit,” Anderson said.

On Wednesday, at an event for Victim-Witness advocates at the Lodge at Blue Lakes where Anderson was a special guest, Debbie Wallace, head of the Lake County Victim-Witness Division, presented another check – this time, for $9,600 – to Lake Family Resource Center interim Executive Director Lisa Fronsman.

That check came from the second case that's fallen under the diversion program, said Anderson.

Lake Family Resource Center, which works with Victim-Witness and the District Attorney's Office to offer support services for crime victims – and also runs the county's domestic violence shelter – is grateful for the support, Fronsman told the group Wednesday.

With the first two cases already generating approximately $17,100 for local causes, Anderson said there's the expectation of more to come, as he said he's seen many such cases in the local justice system that would be eligible for such a diversion program.

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