Conditions of Probation in the State of Florida
When charged in a criminal case, especially when it is a first offense of a minor conviction, individuals are often given the option to accept long probation periods in place of shorter jail stints. While this may not be ideal, no one wants to go to jail, especially with the overcrowding and other poor conditions in the US these days. According to Mr. Steven Veinger, the best criminal lawyer Boca Raton has to offer, those individuals who are on probation as a result of felony convictions, are managed by the Florida DOC or State Department of Corrections, whereas those on misdemeanor probation are handled by smaller county offices. As per guidelines, these offices are there to ensure that probationers adhere to the specifics of their probation – while there are certain common guidelines, each individual, depending on the specifics of their charges have additional rules they must follow. To learn more about the entire Florida probation guidelines, read on below.
It is important to understand that probation keeps an individual free, as long as they stay out of trouble and follow the rules – despite being hard to follow, its much better than jail time, yet some people still can’t follow all the rules that they must. The individual gets to remain free and go to work and provide for their families – as long as they follow the rules. In some instances, they may even have to pay restitution to their victims and their crimes. However, Mr. Veinger the best criminal lawyer Boca Raton has in practice, must remind his clients that when they do not adhere to the rules of their probation, they are subject to violations. These violations can lead to going to jail, and being held without any bond until they see a judge.
When they see the judge, they will not only make a determination based on not only the violation of probation, but also the sentencing of the original charges. According to Mr. Veinger, the best criminal lawyer Boca Raton has to offer, in the state of Florida, the most common terms of probation will include:
· Paying fines, court costs, costs of probation and supervision. Generally, these supervision charges cost about $50-60 per month or more, depending on what county the charges are in.
· Randomized drug and alcohol screenings – often at their own expense.
· Reporting all medication use, OTC and prescription.
· Meeting your probation officer monthly to “check-in”.
· Avoid any association with anyone associated with criminal activities or who are felons.
· Avoid possessing a firearm while on probation.
· Avoid any legal trouble whatsoever – even getting pulled over for a minor traffic incident.
If any of these conditions are violated, it can result in being re-arrested and their future will be in the hands of a judge. This can possibly lead to serious jail time. This is the case no matter what – in many instances, even when individuals are only a few weeks from completing their probation, and suffer a minor violation, they can be sentenced to the full jail sentence, that was recommended for their original charges. Unlike some other states, individuals do not get credit for time served while on probation. This is a common myth, however, with the help of a strong attorney, you may be able to persuade the judge that this violation was a minor mistake and will not happen again. But this is very difficult. If you’ve been charged with a crime, with the help of an attorney like MR. VEINGER, you can avoid jail time with probation. For more information be sure to contact us today.