Often, individuals who are on probation are working hard to get their lives back on track. It is no secret that things can be much more difficult for those with a criminal record. After a conviction, just getting and keeping a decent job is a challenge. Therefore, if you are on probation, it is best to always meet with your probation officer as scheduled. It is also important to avoid violating any other conditions of your probation.
There are a number of ways in which you could violate your probation. Here are a few examples of probation violations:
- Engaging in the use, sales or possession of illegal drugs.
- Missing a scheduled appointment with your probation officer.
- Failing to pay court-ordered restitution or fines.
- Leaving the state without proper permission.
- Failing to attend a scheduled court appearance.
One important thing to understand is that there is no set penalty for a parole violation. Penalty enforcement is at the discretion of your parole officer. It is possible that you may only receive a warning. Alternatively, the officer may require you to attend a parole hearing.
Factors that may sway a parole officer’s choice of action include if you have any past violations or warnings. The type of condition you are believed to have violated could influence the officer’s decision as well.
Probation violation penalties can be extremely severe. You could be fined, have your probation extended or even have to spend time in jail. In a worst-case scenario, you could have your probation rescinded and have to serve the remainder of your original prison sentence. Before any of that happens, you will have to go through a probation hearing.
A probation hearing is your opportunity to convince a judge that you should not receive serious penalties. With so much at stake, having an experienced criminal defense attorney present your case could prove beneficial. An attorney who understands the probation system may be able to help you achieve an acceptable resolution.