Imagine, you're standing in court, facing the possibility of a jail sentence. As your trial comes to a close, you brace yourself for your sentence, but instead of hearing the amount of years you need to serve behind bars, you hear the word "probation." What is this punishment, and how should you deal with it? Probation is essentially a testing of behavior. In law, this means a second chance without detainment. Instead, a criminal charged with probation is given a probation officer who will monitor your conduct for an appointed time. Depending on the probation prescribed, you may be commanded to remain within a jurisdiction, abide by a curfew, live at a determined location, or abstain from certain practices. Sometimes a probationer is also given a tracking device so authorities can know where he or she is at any given time.
While being on probation can create a lot of restrictions, it is much better than spending your time in imprisonment. When you are sentenced with probation, you will be assigned a particular officer who will keep you accountable on the standards set forth in your sentence. Intensive probation involves highly intrusive interactions with your officer. In these cases, the offender is closely monitored, including surprise work or home place visits, electronic monitoring with a GPS or a video system, and even more. This sentence is usually rewarded to gang members, violent criminals, or sex offenders. Also, some juvenile delinquents may be sentenced to this intense accountability.
In a standard supervision, the criminal is commanded to report to an officer at appointed times, and abstain from certain substances such as alcohol. In less serious cases, an offender may be given unsupervised probation. In these cases the criminal does not have any direct involvement with a probation officer, but instead the subject's behavior is monitored over a period of crime. This person will need to steer clear of repeating his or her crimes, and pay fines, or serve the community in order to finish the probation sentence. An informal supervision is the least intense of all forms, and involves a light supervision. This is normally used in pre-trial diversions or as part of a plea bargain. Sometimes, a well-behaved criminal may be released from prison and given probation to serve out the rest of his sentence.
If you have been issued a probation officer, then you will need to make an appointment with this person. Whenever you meet, you will want to bring a photo ID, proof of your place of residence, proof of employment, proof of changes to your name, address, or telephone number, and proof of completed treatments, community services, or charitable contributions. You will probably be given a search before meeting with this officer, so do not bring anything that could be used to incriminate you such as a weapon. If you cannot meet with your probation officer on an appointed day, then you should get in contact with him or her immediately.
While under probation, you still have the right to be treated in a respectful and professional manner. If you probation officer harasses you or discriminates against you because of your age, race, gender, or sexual orientation then you can press charges against him or her. First, talk to your probation officer and explain why you believe that they are being biased or prejudiced against you. Next, if this does not resolve the problem you should speak with your officer's supervisor. The next step is to talk to the Human Resources manager. Your probation cannot be affected just because you filed a complaint, even though the complaint will not excuse you from following the terms set in your probation.
In certain cases, good behavior could possibly merit you an early release from probation. To have a successful probation, review and understand all of your conditions. Always think before you act. Ask the question "how will this affect my probation and my future?" Be open to the guidance or your probation officer. This official is present to help you reform your life and get back on track, so appreciate their insight and thank them for their observations.
