House arrest is a court-ordered, officer-supervised sentence given to certain offenders in lieu of jail time. When sentenced to such a sentence, a person must remain within the established confines 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, with all placed on temporary probation for the duration of the sentence. Probation can include routine meetings with a probation officer, random drug screenings, community service, therapy, counseling, victim impact panels, drug education courses, and more.
Although the name seems clear enough, a house arrest sentence is much more than just house confinement. If you or someone you love is facing house arrest, it is helpful 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 review the most frequently asked questions about staying home to do just that!
What are the General Rules of House Arrest?
Each person’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. drug abuse, compliance with an established curfew, and all orders of probation (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 is paired with another device that connects to a person’s home phone. The device will record the dates and times of all trips within and outside of the established limits. If any of these records show that a person traveled out of bounds for a length of 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 a probation violation hearing being ordered in court. This means that he not only faces the above charges, but now also faces additional ones. 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 you will be penalized with a minor infraction.
Do you need a lawyer if you commit a violation?
In most cases, yes. The 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.
