What is the success rate of probation?

Those that had lived in foster care were at a higher risk of ending up in the criminal justice system, perhaps proving that family is everything. With almost 70% of young males in foster care are arrested once they leave foster care. That is twenty-three times higher than the common population. 

What is the best way to increase the effectiveness of probation?

Probation isn’t fun, but that isn’t the point of probation, and it is better than the alternative of being behind bars for a longer period of time, or at all. Four primary benefits of being placed on probation versus being incarcerated: 

1. Your Family Won’t Be Separated

Incarceration is hard on the entire family, especially children. For children that go from a two-parent home to a single parent home, their entire world is upset. Often they have to move because one parent can’t afford the household expenses, too often, too many children end up in the foster system. 

2. Keep Working or Attending School

While on probation, you can keep working or going to school. Incarceration can slow your future down, even put the brakes on it for year. 

3. A Safer Situation

Being incarcerated isn’t a safe setting. The jails and prisons can put a person at risk for their health and their safety.

4. Institutionalization Avoided

Too many become accustomed to living an institutionalized lifestyle. Everything is on a calendar and clock, same day, same time. It can be difficult to change back to a ‘normal’ way of living once released from jail or prison. 

What does revoking probation mean?

Revoking probation is the repercussion for not following the terms of your probation. Whether by accident or simply can’t follow instructions, not following your probation is equivalent to breaking the law, and yes, you can be sent back to jail. 

The assigned probation officer has to be the one to file a motion with the courts to revoke probation, or they may decide to handle the matter themselves if it was a simple mistake. They can also extend the probation period longer and add more requirements to the probation. 

Do you automatically go to jail if you violate probation?

As we mentioned above, a minor probation violation, the probation officer may decide to handle the matter themselves. For a first time probation violation, unless it was as serious infraction, will likely be kept between the accused and the probation officer. 

For a felony probation violation, the probation officer is usually required to report the infraction to the court where the judge will make the decision how to handle the matter. Some judges take probation violations more seriously than others, but overall, a violation of not reporting to your probation officer is one that no judge will overlook and will likely send you back to jail. It is to the defendant’s best interest to make every effort completing probation period without any violations. 

Is it true that once probation completed and case dismissed?

No, that is confusing the matter with deferred adjudication. We explain the differences between adjudication and probation: 

• Probation is a conviction that remain on the defendants your record. Probation is when a judge has found the defendant guilty and are ordered to be ‘supervised’ by a probation officer for a certain period of time. 
• Deferred adjudication is not a conviction, occasionally the records of a deferred adjudication will be sealed. A deferred adjudication is not finding the defendant guilty, but they must plead guilty before the courts. 

The judge will defer the ruling of guilt, giving the defendant an allotted time adhere to specifics. Once they have met that allotted time and the specifics, then the case is dropped.