Release_1973-1974_1974-521.pdf

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Part of News Release (December 6, 1974) TESC Notes its efforts in placing students in internships

extracted text

The Evergreen State College
Olympia. Washington

98505

for immediate release

for further information

December 6, 1974

Judy Annis, 866-6128

The Evergreen State College has been placing students in private businesses, governmental agencies and social service organizations for credit-generating internships since
the college opened in the fall of 1971.
Now, in a cooperative effort between the Evergreen Office of Cooperative Education
and the Thurston County Probation Office, TESC w i.Ll, help place persons found guilty
of minor legal offenses in those same agencies to work out their sentences --- not
to earn·college credit but to provide a community service.
Ken Donohue, director of Evergreen Co-Op program, said his office is contacting
more than 300 public and private agencies throughout the state to gather names of
those organizations which are willing to cooperate in the newly created Thurston
County Minor Offender Program.
"The idea ," Donohue says, "is for those persons found guilty of a minor offense
to serve their time helping in their local community, rather than behind bars.
"Co-Op is helping locate those agencies which are willing to accept the unpaid
aid of the offenders for an amount of time determined at their sentencing."
The offenders --- often youthful violators of laws regulating marijuana, alcoholism
or traffic --- serve at the agencies in lieu of a short jail term.

Their service has

to be in their home area, whf.ch is often outside of Thurston County, so agencies need to
be identified throughout the state.
"We sometimes have offenders from as far away as
Thurston County probation officer explains.
locate positions

Spokane County," Valerie Shewp,

"Our office doesn't have the resources to

that far away, so we looked to Evergreen for help."

TESC has placed more than 1800 interns in 800 agencies in the past three and a half
years, Donohue adds.

"And,

II

he says, "we r re delighted to have this chance to share our

resources with the county in this way."
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