Frequently asked questions about house arrest
House arrest is a court-ordered, officer-supervised sentence imposed on certain offenders in lieu of jail time. When sentenced to such a sentence, a person must remain within the established boundaries of their home at all times, but may be granted limited travel privileges for work, school, or medical appointments. Both adults and minors can be sentenced to house arrest, and all are placed on temporary probation for the duration of the sentence. Probation can include routine meetings with a probation officer, random drug testing, community service, therapy, counseling, victim impact panels, drug education courses, and more.
Although the name seems pretty self-explanatory, a house arrest sentence is much more than just home confinement. If you or someone you love is facing house arrest, it helps to get some answers to some common questions to put your mind at ease and clear up any confusion you may have had about the terms and conditions of house arrest. Read on to go over the most frequently asked questions about staying at home to do just that!
What are the General Rules of House Arrest?
Everyone’s case is different and subject to different regulations. However, the general rules of house arrest include no drugs or alcohol in the residence, no drug or alcohol use, a probation officer may stop by the home at any time to check for drugs or alcohol or to conduct a test of random drugs, compliance with an established curfew, and all probation orders (ie, community service, rehab, etc.).
How are you monitored?
A person on house arrest wears an electronic ankle sensor device at all times. This device pairs with another that connects to a person’s home phone. The device will record the dates and times of all trips within and outside the established limits. If any of these records show that a person traveled outside of their limits for a time that was not allowed, the probation officer is notified and the person is violated. Tampering with the device will also be recorded and considered a violation.
What happens if you violate their terms?
If someone breaks any of the rules of their sentence, they are subject to being ordered a probation violation hearing in court. This means that he is not only facing the above charges, but is now facing additional ones as well. Sometimes a probation officer will give a warning the first time, but it is important to understand that the terms are taken very seriously and a minor offense will be penalized.
Do you need a lawyer if you commit a violation?
In most cases, yes. Penalties for such violations are taken very seriously, and the penalties a person faces for them are also very harsh. His criminal defense attorney already knows his case and will defend him one more time to minimize the penalties he faces for violating. They are your only hope of avoiding the maximum charges for a violation.