Being convicted of a criminal offense can have severe implications on your life. One of the more serious penalties is being sent to prison for an extended period of time.
In some circumstances, you may be eligible for release before serving your full sentence. Early release is commonly referred to as parole. However, it is important to note that parole will be dependent on following a number of conditions set out by the court.
Common parole conditions
The terms of your parole may include the condition that you remain within the confines of your home during certain hours, otherwise known as a curfew. Further to curfews, the court may insist that you do not associate with known felons, who may have been part of the group that landed you in trouble initially. The court can also set limitations on your ability to travel. For instance, you could be prohibited from crossing state lines without permission.
Violating parole conditions
Any severe parole violation, such as committing a criminal offense, will likely result in the accused being sent back to prison. Nonetheless, not all parole violations are major. You may have genuinely got back on the right track after being granted parole, obtaining a job and staying completely out of trouble. On the day of your meeting with a parole officer to report your progress, you may have landed up in a car accident, causing you to miss the appointment. Perhaps you rely on public transport to get home from work, and the bus was delayed or canceled, meaning that you exceeded your curfew. Can you defend yourself in these circumstances or will you automatically be sent back to jail?
Defending accusations of parole violations
In the same way as criminal trials, you are perfectly entitled to present your case to the court. If there was no violation or the alleged violation was completely out of your control, then you should not be penalized unfairly.
If you have been accused of violating your parole terms, it is vital to have someone with the appropriate legal knowledge on your side. You should not be penalized unfairly in your attempts to uphold the law.