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Facts About Adult Probation
Community Supervision and
Probation:
There is no difference between Community Supervision and
Probation. Both refer to the same process.
Supervision Officers:
Your supervision officer can be very helpful to you.
He/she can answer any questions you have about your probation; schedule classes, programs and set up
appointments you need to fulfill your probation obligations; provide community-based referrals such
as drug/alcohol counseling, employment counseling and literacy/GED preparation that will help you
prepare for a positive life during probation. Your officer will supervise you as directed by the Court and
will inform the Court as to how you are abiding by the rules. His/her job is to protect the community by seeing you at home or work as well as in the
probation office.
Fees:
You may be Court ordered to pay one or more of the
following fees:
Fines
Court costs
Court appointed attorney fees
Community Supervision fees
Restitution (repaying victims for
what was lost or damaged)
Crime Stoppers fees
Urinalysis fees
You may also
have to pay certain class fees:
DWI classes
Drug classes
Repeat DWI offender classes
Victim Impact Panel fees
All payments
are Court-ordered and must be paid on time by a schedule set up by the court.
Your supervising officer can answer any questions about your
payments.
Conditions of Probation:
While on probation, you are expected to follow your
conditions, and not break the law or use alcohol and/or drugs. You may
also be ordered to complete classes and programs. You must be on time for
each office visit. Ask your supervising officer each month what
paperwork you need to bring when you report for you next visit. Reporting
to your officer is very important. You will be requested to submit
breath and urine specimens when required by your officer or the Court.
You can only
leave the county if approved by your supervising officer. Talk to your
officer well in advance about any travel plans. If approved, your officer
will give you a travel permit that must remain with your person at all times
during your trip.
If you plan to
move outside Brazoria County, you must get permission from your supervising
officer. If permission is given, your officer will make arrangements to
have you report to a probation office in the county/state where you will reside.
You must always notify your officer of where you are living.
If you change
or lose you job, notify your officer immediately.
Do not bring
children with you to your office visit. Some office visits can take up to
two hours to complete. Sex offenders will be reporting to the same
facility that you are.
If you do not
follow the conditions of your probation, your officer will take action.
This action could include requesting a warrant for your arrest, the Judge could
require you to return to court to add more conditions to your probation, or your
probation could be revoked and you could be sent to jail.
If your offense
was a Misdemeanor or deferred adjudication Felony, you may still vote if you are a registered voter.
If your offense
was a non-theft Misdemeanor you may still serve on a jury if called.
Community Supervision
(Probation) and Parole:
The
Community Supervision and Corrections system (commonly referred to as probation)
is a process designed to keep offenders out of the formal prison system.
Offenders are supervised in the community where they continue to work, pay taxes
and support their family. The Board of Pardons and Parole operates a system to
supervise offenders after having served a partial sentence in the formal prison
setting. Both Community Supervision and Corrections and the Board of Pardons
and Parole are divisions of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
An offender may serve probation and parole at the same time.
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