Once someone leaves prison, he is assigned a probation officer. This probation officer is supposed to ensure that the individual is adhering to the requirements of the courts. Learn how to find someone’s probation officer.
Debt to Society
The government has a variety of ways to punish criminals. These might include fines, mandatory courses or jail time.
During court proceedings, the state might charge an individual with multiple crimes. This gives the government the opportunity to decide which crime it wants to try in court. Certain crimes can be argued at the same time.
You might have heard a jury member talking about “Counts.” A criminal might be found guilty or innocent on different counts. There can be concurrent or consecutive penalties. What is the difference?
If the court wants to level the worst penalty, it can force someone to be serve consecutive penalties. If someone is assessed 2 years for burglary and 3 years for car theft, then the consecutive sentence total is for 5 years.
Concurrent penalties can occur at the same time. The time overlaps; therefore, in the aforementioned case, the full time would be 3 years, since 2 years is less than 3 years.
Probation Benefits
Sentencing flexibility allows the government to hang penalties over your head to induce you to behave properly. They can even put you on probation, in lieu of jail time. But, they will force you to agree to certain stipulations during probation.
If you are in prison, the warden can release you for “good behavior.” But, you still might be placed on probation. If you violate probation, you might be forced to complete your full prison sentence.
Probation is meant to allow a criminal to slowly re-integrate into society. The probation officer is there to keep the ex-convict on the right path.
Those on probation don’t have the same rights as everyone else. They have a probation officer and must follow certain probation stipulations.
Probation Office
You might see someone doing something illegal and want to report him. The name of a probation officer is public knowledge. You need to check your state and county to see if they have a separate probation office.
Many offenders will be required to appear at a probation office, government building or court room. Make sure you are sure of the individual’s identity and address before reporting someone to his probation officer. If you make fraudulent statements, then you could be in trouble.
Usually, you might start by calling the probation officer. You need to collect photographs or other types of evidence. Be ready to give this evidence to the probation officer – make copies.
Then, you might be required to meet the probation officer, in person. Follow the probation officer’s instructions to a “T”. A probation officer helps an individual re-integrate into society; but if the ex-convict is not following the probation stipulations, he might return to jail.
Jim Treebold is a North Carolina based writer. He lives by the mantra of “Learn 1 new thing each day”! Jim loves to write, read, pedal around on his electric bike and dream of big things. Drop him a line if you like his writing, he loves hearing from his readers!