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Los Angeles Probation Violation Attorneys

Violation of Probation

For many people, one of the worst things that can happen after a criminal conviction is the possibility of incarceration in a state prison or county jail. To cut back down on the amount of people who are placed within the nation's prisons and jails, many courts turn to what is known as probation. This is the release of the convicted from confinement, but not granting them their full freedoms. This may be done instead of any jail time or it may be done to shorten the prison sentence.

Legally defined, probation is defined as testing the behaviors and abilities of the convicted. Therefore, when a defendant is placed on probation, they are given certain terms, including rules and guidelines that they must adhere to. This is created to help adjust them to productive members of society. These rules may include curfew, living at a certain place, staying away from certain people and refraining from alcohol and drug use. Probation may also include being monitored and meeting with a probation officer regularly.

The three main types of probation include the following:

Intensive Probation– This is one of the most comprehensive forms of probation and includes the close monitoring of the individual, usually through the use of home detainment, electronic tags and GPS devices. This is usually reserved for participants in organized crime as well as "career criminals."
Standard Supervision– Those who are placed on this type of probation are expected to have regular meetings with either a probation officer or another member of the department. The frequency of these meetings depends on the offense and could be weekly, biweekly, quarterly or monthly, depending.
Unsupervised Probation– This is a fairly lax form of probation and does not include any form of supervision. Instead, the subject is required to monitor themselves and is typically given a period of time to meet certain requirements, such as completing community service, and acting lawfully.

A probation violation occurs when you are on probation and you either fail to complete one of your various conditions that were set as a part of it, or you have committed a new offense. If you or someone you know is in violation, there may be a warrant out for your arrest and you will need solid legal guidance from an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

Warrants for probation violation can be issued for any number of reasons including:

Failure to appear in court
Failure to enroll in, or complete, a required class or program
Failure to report to your parole officer as required
A new arrest occurring during your probationary period
Committing a new crime while on probation

If you have been accused of violating the terms of your probation, you could be facing serious criminal offenses. You will already be viewed with scrutiny by the court and will therefore have an uphill battle in attempting to prove your innocence. In some cases, you may be stripped of your right to probation and may be placed in jail or prison instead. In other cases, you may face additional penalties for any criminal offense that you may have committed during the violation of the probation. Regardless, it is vital that you get an experienced lawyer on your side that you can trust to protect your legal rights.

Takakjian & Sitkoff: Get an Attorney You Can Trust

When facing criminal charges of this magnitude, it is extremely important that you do not hesitate to get the involvement of a criminal defense lawyer that you can trust. At Takakjian & Sitkoff, we bring over 60 years of aggregate legal experience to the table. Beyond that, we have experienced as former deputy district attorneys, which allows us a full-bodied and comprehensive understanding of the law that cannot be simply imitated. We know what is on the line with criminal cases and we know the steps to take.

So what are you waiting for? If you have been criminally charged, you do not have time to waste. It is extremely important that you get the involvement of a hard-hitting attorney that you can trust to defend your legal rights. At our firm, we will fight for your rights. If you would like to learn more about how we can help, please take advantage of our free online case evaluation or call us today!