
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 8, 1994                   TAG: 9403080032
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RAY REED
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WHO SEES SERVICE GETS DONE?

Q: The teen-agers convicted recently in the death resulting from drag racing received sentences that included up to 400 hours of community service. What is community service, who determines what it should be, and what fulfills the requirement? Who keeps track of the 400 hours? D.S., Roanoke

A: Jim Phipps is director of the Court-Community Corrections program, in which a staff of 20 supervises more than 30,000 hours per year of work by offenders in the Roanoke Valley and all the way to Bath County.

The job usually fits the capabilities of the offender as well as the nature of the offense, Phipps said. The task should remind people of the consequences of their behavior.

Phipps said he hasn't interviewed the drag-racing drivers yet, but he has a general category of work in mind for them.

Recently, Phipps had five people cleaning up construction debris at the Jefferson Center, Roanoke's old Jefferson High School. Working side by side were an offender who couldn't afford to pay a fine and another who wouldn't have missed the money. Community-service sentences treated them equally.

Jobs can include working at a landfill, secretarial or janitorial duties, mowing, picking up litter, construction, painting, or washing vehicles.

There are 50 work sites, including police departments, Criminal Justice Academy; TAP; RAM shelter; Red Cross; Safety Council; local governments of Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem, Botetourt County and Craig County; the U.S. Forest Service parks; Mill Mountain Zoo; and even cleaning up the civic centers after games.

Community service is done under a probation-type format at nonprofit organizations. Supervisors make sure the offenders are punctual and work adequately.

Dual citizenship illusory

Q: I read a lot about people with dual citizenship, usually with Israel and the United States. I recently became an American citizen, and wonder what countries are included in dual citizenship. To which country does one pledge allegiance? G.R.C., Blacksburg

A: The United States doesn't recognize dual citizenship with any other country, says the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

We can't stop another country from recognizing our people as citizens, though, said Duke Austin, an immigration-agency spokesman.

Dual citizenship comes up often with Israel, which recognizes Jews all over the world as Israeli citizens for religious reasons.

Ireland has begun recognizing second-generation Americans as Irish citizens, even if they never set foot in the country, Austin said.

Beyond that, Germany, France and a few other countries may be involved in questions of citizenship when an American soldier has married a local woman and their child is legally a citizen of both countries. When the child becomes an adult, he or she must pledge allegiance to one nation, Austin said.

Most countries require new citizens to renounce citizenship in other nations.

Taxes are a major reason no American can share citizenship. It just won't work if someone claims that only half his income or property should be taxed by Uncle Sam.

Also, dual citizenship could lead to multiple passports, and most governments frown on that sort of anonymity.

Got a question about something that may affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.

by CNB