Nevada’s courts take their probation provisions seriously. Every offender who has received a probation for their charges are put under strict monitoring to ensure that they do not commit any violations or reoffend while away from prison. As such, offenders endeavor to adhere to the conditions given to them to avoid going back to prison or receiving harsher penalties.
Unfortunately, breaking probation rules can be easy even if the offender does not intend to do so. Courts are very adamant about enforcing these rules because they’re easy to break. Let’s look at five common probation violations that Las Vegas law enforcement has to deal with.
Breaking House Arrest
A common provision for offenders who negotiated a probation would be to spend a part majority of their sentence while confined at home. That means that they don’t have to stay behind bars and can still enjoy their personal amenities while serving their term. This however can get boring pretty fast, especially for the active types of offenders. As such, they may accidentally leave the property out of habit, leading to a house arrest violation. Others may instead use the house arrest to attempt a breakout and skip town.
Skipping on Community Service
Some minor charges may have community service as a provision for probation. This may include tasks like cleaning public property or assisting in community wellness programs. In some cases, offenders opt to avoid rendering their required hours and do something else. Others may forget that they have to do such service as part of their terms. Despite being a relatively minor violation, skipping on community service can lead to increased scrutiny from the probation officer if it happens frequently.
Alcohol-Related Violations
When an offender secures a probation for alcohol-related charges (like DUI or domestic violence instigated by excess alcohol consumption), they are mandated to check in regularly for BAC tests. They may also be required to wear a SCRAM bracelet for the duration of their term to show that they are committed to staying sober. Habitual drinkers have a hard time following this provision because of the difficulty of going turkey, unless they get serious support. Missing blood tests appointments can be worse, as these are scheduled in advance. Skipping on these tests can raise the probation officer’s suspicions and may lead to an arrest warrant and a revocation hearing if it becomes too frequent during the term.
Avoiding Restitution Payments
Charges that directly involve a victim or victims will require the offender to pay restitution, whether or not they request for probation. In some cases, the offender can negotiate increased restitution payments in exchange for not spending time in prison. The offender must be sure that they can meet these final obligations if they wish to maintain their probation privileges. Otherwise, they will receive more serious non-financial penalties to compensate.
Failure to Report In
An offender on probation is assigned a probation officer who acts as their monitor and supervisor for the duration of their term. They make regular reports to the court regarding the offender’s current progress with their term, from hours of community time served to their current whereabouts. They also require offenders to check in with them at a pre-approved schedule, at which time the offender will be interviewed regarding their sentence. Failure to comply will result in increased scrutiny from the probation officer; if there is sufficient grounds to suspect a violation, the probation officer can easily alert the courts who will authorize an arrest.
Probations provide some measure of freedom for the offender to do things that they would otherwise not be able to because of a prison term. However, even the slightest misstep can lead to the revocation of those freedoms. Talk to your Las Vegas defense attorney about steps to avoid violating your probation.
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