Mandatory Community Service Gets New Attention

The value of community service is getting new attention, especially after the supermodel Naomi Campbell was required to serve on a public-works crew, reports The New York Times.

“Conceived as a selfless contribution toward building a civil society, community service can sometimes seem perilously close to compulsory drudgery, a way for misdemeanants to avoid the clink, for corporations to market a brand, and for ambitious high school students to polish résumés, “ the newspaper said.

Bruce J. Poch, vice president and dean of admissions at Pomona College, in Claremont, Calif., told the newspaper that “the community-service boom began a while back and it looked right and felt real.” He added: “Now it’s devolved into a lot of kids just punching a ticket. It turns my stomach a little bit.”

Despite such concerns, Robert Putnam, author of _Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, says surveys show that teenagers who participate in community service are more likely than other young people to volunteer throughout their lives—regardless of what motivates them to give their time.

“Even if the initial motive was ignoble, “ he says, “the long-run net effect may create a more caring society.”

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