What is Community Supervision in Texas Criminal Cases?
When you think of a person being convicted of a crime, you also likely think of them being sentenced to prison to serve out their punishment. In reality, many people who have been charged with low-level and non-violent crimes are found to benefit more and show greater rehabilitation when they are in their communities, rather than in prison. Because of this, many judges prefer to sentence these offenders to probation, which is officially known as community supervision in Texas.
What is Community Supervision?
Rather than serving out a sentence in prison, a judge may decide that a person’s sentence would be better spent while they were living in and contributing to their own community. If this is the case, a judge may sentence a person to community supervision. If a person is sentenced to community supervision, they will regularly keep in touch with their probation officers, who will help keep them on the right track. Community supervision often comes with requirements that you must abide by and things that you must not do during your supervision period to complete the sentence successfully.
What Requirements Does Community Supervision Impose?
Requirements for community supervision in Texas are not always the same from person to person. The exact set of requirements for your community supervision period will be determined based on the situation and circumstances surrounding your case. If you are sentenced to community supervision, you will submit to a risk and needs assessment that will allow the judge to better determine what type of requirements should be imposed. In general, requirements for a period of community supervision often include:
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Obeying all laws
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Avoiding using drugs and/or alcohol
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Reporting regularly to a supervision or probation officer
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Complying with visits from a supervision officer to your home
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Maintaining employment
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Remaining in a specific place, typically the county in which you live
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Paying fines and/or court costs associated with your criminal case
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Financially supporting any dependents you may have, including children
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Performing community service
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Submit to testing for alcohol and/or drugs in your system
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Attending counseling or treatment programs
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Submitting to electronic monitoring, such as wearing an ankle bracelet
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Submitting a DNA sample to law enforcement
Contact a San Antonio, TX Criminal Defense Attorney Today
If you have been arrested and charged with any type of crime, it can be a stressful and frightening experience. It is essential that you seek help from a knowledgeable Texas criminal defense lawyer to advise you of what your best options for defense are. At the Law Offices of Sam H. Lock, we can guide you through the process and help you understand what the likely outcomes of your situation are. To Schedule your consultation to begin discussing your case, call the office today at 1-888-SAM-LOCK (210-226-0965).
Sources:
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.42A.htm
