When a person convicted of a crime has served the minimum term of their sentence, they might be eligible for parole. Parole is a system that grants an inmate the opportunity to serve the remainder of their sentence out of prison and in the free world. However, their freedom is conditional. There are various terms and conditions that someone on parole – a parolee – must abide by to continue earning the right to parole. If you violate your parole there can be serious consequences and you could even end up back behind bars. Avoid being reincarcerated by working with a Rockland County criminal and municipal attorney during your parole revocation hearings.
The conditions of your release from prison are dependent on the specifics of your situation. They will vary depending on the crime you committed, the risk you pose to society, and the length of your sentence. All parolees are assigned a parole officer who will monitor your behavior and ensure you are following the rules of your parole. Some of the general conditions that you may have to meet during parole include:
There can be more specific conditions depending on the nature of your conviction or your situation. For example, you may be required to register with local authorities as a sex offender if your conviction was related to a sex crime. If you are an addict you may have to attend alcohol or drug recovery courses or meetings. You can violate parole by failing to do any of the above or by committing a new crime unrelated to your past conviction.
If you are accused of violating any conditions of your release, you could face parole revocation and end up back in prison. The process will vary depending on if you violated a rule or if you committed a new crime. If you violated a rule of probation you will first have a preliminary hearing where it will be determined whether or not there is a valid reason to believe that you violated your parole. If the officer in charge of your hearing determines that there is probable cause, your violation will proceed to a final hearing.
Parolees whose violation was that they committed a new crime will not be given a preliminary hearing, they will advance to a final hearing immediately. In either case, if you are found guilty at the final hearing you could face any of the following.
The penalties for violating parole can be severe, so if you have been accused it is important that you work with a skilled attorney.
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