In the unfortunate event that you have committed a serious criminal offense, one of the penalties you will likely face is jail time. A jail sentence of several years may be imposed on you depending on the severity of your offense. However, in some cases, the court may grant you parole if there is no apparent threat to the safety of the general public. As conditional freedom, parole allows an individual to be released from jail early and reintegrated into the community. Nevertheless, parolees are required to abide by certain conditions to remain out of jail. If you are eligible for parole, it is imperative to comply with the terms of your parole. If you violate the conditions of your parole, you may face even more severe penalties. Please continue reading and contact our seasoned Nassau County Criminal Defense Attorneys to learn what could happen if you violate the conditions of your parole.
What are common parole conditions parolees have to abide by in New York?
Although being granted parole can allow you to enjoy the privileges of freedom, you will still have to adhere to specific conditions. Typically, a parolee will be assigned a parole officer whose responsibility is to ensure that parolees adhere to the conditions of their parole. Parolees must meet regularly with their parole officers. Parole officers are entitled to make unannounced visits to check that the parolee is following the conditions of their parole. The following are some of the many conditions parolees often have to abide by when granted parole:
- Avoid criminal activity
- Attend drug or alcohol recovery meetings and treatments
- Abide by a curfew
- Electronic monitoring
- Expect unannounced visits from your parole officer
- Allow parole officers to search you, your home, and your possessions
- Reside in a certain geographical area and maintain your residence
- Obtain permission from your parole officer if you wish to travel outside of the state
- Community service
- Maintain employment
- Do not contact any victims of your crime
What are the potential consequences of violating the terms of my parole?
Violating the conditions of your parole could result in a parolee being sent back to jail to serve an additional sentence. However, in most cases, if it is a minor violation such as prohibited alcohol use, the parole officer may enforce stricter conditions. Nevertheless, if it is a major parole violation, the parole officer will have to report it. This means you will have to attend a revocation or violation hearing where the appropriate parties will evaluate the circumstances of your violation. If the appropriate parties deem it reasonable, they can return you to custody. However, they can also impose a stricter sentence than your original sentence. Ultimately, violating the conditions of your parole will likely result in your conditional freedom being revoked.
In the unfortunate event that you have been accused of violating the conditions of your parole, get in touch with one of our skilled attorneys. Our firm is prepared to fight on your behalf to prevent you from returning to prison for allegedly violating your parole terms.
