Did you know that one in 20 people will serve time in prison in their lifetime? Whether this is for a minor offense or a major felony, there is a good chance that they will get a probation offer before they serve their full sentence.
Have you ever wondered about the rules of probation, getting a probation officer, and resuming life after serving a sentence? Here is a brief guide to probation with everything that you need to know.
What is Probation?
When you serve a prison sentence, you may be able to serve all or part of it without being in prison at all. Instead, you can live in the community and abide by a set of rules called probation. You will get a probation officer assigned to you who will help you navigate the process and hold you accountable as well.
How Does Probation Work?
For less serious offenses, the judge may offer you probation for your sentence rather than going to prison. This can help to alleviate the stress on prisons and allow you to stay in the community while you serve your prison sentence. In this case, you would still meet with a probation officer on a pre-determined schedule.
If you have to go to prison, then you will fill out a petition for probation once you are eligible. Then, you will likely meet with a committee that will decide whether to grant you probation.
Rules of Probation
When you are serving a sentence outside of prison, you will have to avoid drugs and alcohol. Your probation officer may ask you to take tests to make sure that your system is drug-free.
You will also have requirements like getting a job or doing community service. If you have trouble finding a job, then your probation officer may have some good leads for companies that will hire people who served prison time.
For people who follow the rules and stay consistent, you may even be able to petition for terminating your probation. Your attorney will talk to you about filing a motion to get out of your probation early.
Violating Your Probation
Unfortunately, you may have to go back to prison if you violate the terms of your probation. Sometimes you can work out a deal with a judge or probation officer if you have a clean record otherwise.
Overall, the goal is to make sure that you get through probation just like you do when serving a sentence. Then, you can finish your sentence and be a free member of society again.
Know All About Probation
If you ever wanted to learn about probation, you should not have to get confused by the process. With this guide, you can have all of the information you need in case you or a loved one enters the incarceration system.
Want to learn more about all things related to the law and justice system? Check out our blog for answers to all of your legal questions.
Hemant Kumar is a project manager at Tridindia with more than nine years of commendable experience in writing about LMS, translation, and IT. His unmatched talent and passion for digital marketing gave him the opportunity to work as a multi-tasking project manager at TridIndia’s sister company, Link Building Corp. Today, he contributes to the world by imparting knowledge on SEO, link building and internet marketing etc., that helps business owners grow their online business.
