Electronic Monitoring and House Arrest

The criminal justice system provides an invaluable service to society by generating a means of resolving issues pertaining to criminal conduct and offering a means of confinement to separate criminals from those whom they might harm. In most jurisdictions, the number of criminals who are to be imprisoned is either close to or greater than the capacity of jail and prison facilities that exist to contain them. This places a considerable financial strain on the already tight budgets of local, county, and state agencies.

To help fix this problem at least somewhat, judges have the authority to occasionally sentence low-risk offenders to electronic monitoring and/or house arrest. The convicted party may be liable for the costs associated with his or her monitoring, but this affords a much greater degree of freedom than does sentencing to county jail. If you are facing a criminal trial, contact Austin criminal defense lawyer Ian Inglis at 512-472-1950 to speak with a skilled and experienced attorney who is committed to protecting your rights.

Information Regarding Electronic Monitoring

As mentioned above, a person who is sentenced to electronic monitoring or house arrest is generally considered to not pose a significant threat to the welfare of the general public and in some cases may be permitted to work or to participate in some activities with the permission of the appropriate authorities. This makes such a sentence far preferable to county jail confinement, but it is important that a convicted person not violate the terms of the program or there may be additional charges and jail time will be imposed.

Some pertinent information regarding the electronic monitoring program is:

• The defense can file motion to request this form of sentencing, or it may be executed independently at the discretion of the judge
• The defendant may be liable for costs and expenses associated with monitoring and supervision
• An individual under electronic monitoring or house arrest will be required to serve the full term of a sentence without deductions of time for time served or good behavior

Contact Us

Austin criminal lawyer Ian Inglis can help to determine whether this may be a reasonable course of action in your case and can help you to leverage a plea bargain to accomplish it. Contact him at 512-472-1950.