About Payback


What is Payback? Board of Directors Giving Resources Contact

	What is Restitution?
	Juvenile crime is a serious community problem that affects everyone. Restitution is the process whereby juvenile offenders are put to work to repay their victims for loss, damage, or personal injury. PayBack's goals are: To compensate the victims for their loss with money earned by the youth who committed the crime. To restore the juvenile's respect for the law, to awaken a youth's sense of personal responsibility, and to instill good work habits and job skills which enhance the future...so that first offenders don't become repeat offenders.
	How Does PayBack Work?
	Juveniles, ages 13-17, who come before the St. Louis Area Family Courts for crimes such as vandalism, shoplifting, burglary, or assault are screened, counseled, and placed for the court-recommended community service. For this mandantory work, juveniles earn minimum wage credit through PayBack, to be used exclusively for repayment of their victims' losses.
	Where Does the Money Come From?
	Tax deductible contributions from community donors sponsor the Juvenile Rehabilitation/Victim Restitution Fund. The juveniles "earn" money to reimburse their crime victims by working at PayBack assigned and supervised work sites throughout the community. PayBack's nonprofit Board of Directors assists in financial and program development. In coordination with PayBack, court staff monitor the community service/restitution program.
	Why is PayBack Effective?
	Since the program's inception, juveniles have returned more than $200,000 to their crime victims. The program has enjoyed a consistently high rate of success with 91% of the participants completing their community service or restitution obligation. In addition, juveniles have also learned a very basic lesson by becoming accountable for their own misbehavior.
	Who Provides Jobs?
	Community nonprofit and/or public agencies including animal shelters, nursing homes, parks, fire departments, and churches willing to provide supervised work sites. Children are evaluated on their performance and attitude while on the job at one of over 200 worksites in the metropolitan area.
	Who Benefits From the PayBack Program?
	The Community- Particularly, areas where the quality of life and property values have suffered from juvenile crime. The Victims- PayBack provides compensation to crime victims from juvenile offenders who would otherwise be unable to earn restitution. Nonprofit and Public Agencies- Participating organizations gain manpower to assist them in serving the community. The Donors- Those who support PayBack can help youth, their families, and our community break the cycle of juvenile delinquency.
	Representative PayBack Inc. Work Sites
	The following are representative work sites - space doesn't allow all sites to be listed. Hazelwood School District St. Louis County Animal Control St. Louis Area Food Bank MERS/Goodwill Stores Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ Scholarship Foundation Kirkwood Parks and Recreation Village of Hanley Hills Help Hospitalized Veterans/Thrift Plus St. Louis County Parks Department Pallotine Renewal Center Marianist Retreat Center Butterfly House St. Louis Adventist Community Services MO Council of the Blind Room At the Inn Rocky Road Thrift Store White House Retreat