If you have been in trouble with the law, you may have been confronted with the possibility of getting probation rather than (or in addition to) a jail sentence. Sometimes you will be given probation in lieu of serving time. In other instances, probation will come after you have served some time in prison.
Either way, it’s important for you to know what probation actually is.
Probation is essentially a testing process to see if a convicted criminal is ready to begin living a lawful life. Probation comes after you have gone through the legal process – being arrested, posting bail bonds Ocean County, going to trial, and conviction. You will be given a set time during which your probation will apply, anything from 6 months to 10 years or more, and must live under strict rules during that time. Most important among those rules is that you must be crime free during your time on probation.
Probation is not always for convicted criminals. There is something called “informal probation,” which is for people who did not necessarily break the law but who the judge rules may still be in need of assistance, such as in cases where the accused has a psychological or drug problem. In these instances, the individual may be given informal probation (including drug testing), with the case dismissed if they successful complete probation with no violations.
After posting bail bonds Ocean County and going through the legal process, you may be given non-supervised probation. This is exactly what it sounds like. This is where the person given probation is expected to live up to the stipulations of their probation of their own accord. These sentences tend to be shorter and only require checking into a probation officer at the end of your probation.
A standard probation sentence will involve regular check-ins with a probation officer. These check ins can be as frequent as every other week and as infrequently as once every three months, depending on the nature of the crimes involved and the judge’s view on how well you will be able to live up to the terms of your probation. In many cases, community service, drug treatment, and other programs may accompany the probation. You may be allowed to move freely, including to other states, but in some instances such movement will be restricted.
Strict probation is the most serious form of this punishment, usually reserved for repeat offenders and very serious crimes. This can also include high profile cases and those involved in organized crime (including gangs). If you are given strict probation, you waive many of your rights. You can be searched at any time and for any reason, will be subject to regular surveillance, and can expect round the clock visits at work and at home. In extreme cases, you may even be given a GPS unit to wear so the court can track your movements. In many ways, this is similar to house arrest, with many of the same restrictions in place.
In all cases, when your probation is over you are free to return to a normal – and hopefully law abiding – life.