What Are the Consequences of A Probation Violation in California?

If you’ve been granted probation in lieu of serving a prison sentence, hopefully you’re doing everything you can to remain in compliance with the terms of your probation in order to stay out of jail. Depending on your individual terms, there can be almost countless ways that an officer can claim you’ve violated probation; about 40% of all those on probation in California in 2007 had their probation either modified or revoked. Violations could include leaving the county before obtaining permission from your parole officer, forgetting to pay court fines or restitution, or getting fired from your job and failing to find other employment. If you’re accused of violating the terms of your release, seek help from an experienced criminal defense attorney in order to avoid additional probation terms or even jail time. Read on to learn about what might happen if a judge finds that you’ve violated your probation.

The judge can add or change the terms of your probation.

If your probation is revoked after a judge determines you’ve violated its terms, your probation may be reinstated with additional restrictions. For example, if you have been convicted of a narcotics-related offense and are found in an area known as a place where drugs are sold, you may be required to wear a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet. If you failed to make required restitution payments when you lost your job, the judge may make maintaining employment a term of your probation.

The judge can impose counseling or treatment.

If you’ve been found guilty of a narcotics-related offense and are found to possess a banned substance during your probation, the judge may order you to attend Narcotics or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, undergo intensive substance abuse treatment, or attend a rehab facility. You could also be required to attend counseling for anger management as an additional term of your probation.

If your probation is terminated, you might go to jail.

If you received a term of probation in lieu of incarceration, you may end up receiving the originally-imposed jail or prison sentence if the judge decides to terminate your probation entirely. In fact, the judge could decide to impose an even longer jail or prison sentence than the one originally imposed, up to the maximum sentence for the crime you were found guilty of committing.

If you need a dedicated, knowledgeable, and aggressive defense attorney for a probation hearing or criminal trial in Southern California, contact Ventura criminal defense attorney Paul Tyler for a free consultation on your case, at 805-889-9000.