Friday 11 January 2019

What You Need To Know About Home Detention Maryland

By Brenda Cook


There are a number of alternatives to jail, for instance probation, fines and community service. There is also house arrest in which case you are kept as a prisoner but in your home. You will not be spending time in jail. This kind of arrest is given to first time offenders who are non-violent. It is much cheaper for the state to grant home detention rather than incarceration in jail. When it comes to home detention Maryland residents should be versed with what it involves.

The detention works with some form of monitoring device such as ankle bracelet. The device is used for monitoring the movements of the prisoner. The monitor is even able to detect level of alcohol within the blood. There are various forms of house arrest. It is actually unusual for offenders to stay indoors for an entire day.

The offender is allowed to leave work for various reasons. It could be that they are going to work or they are attending school. In some cases, it is so that they ca attend counseling sessions or rehabilitation. The arrest means the offender is on a curfew and thus should be at home at a specific time. In most cases, the person is expected to be at home before dusk. That ensures the person can go about various activities, for instance going to work. Such offenders are thus able to maintain relationships with different people.

Home detention is at the mid-scale of sentencing. It is deemed to be more lenient compared to prison sentences and also harsher than fines or probation. A judge will usually consider that option when they are of the opinion that jail time would have been appropriate but the offender is either too sick or vulnerable and thus cannot survive in prison. If the offender is proven to be non-violent, they can also be given the option of house arrest if they have a steady job. They should have clean rap sheets. It is however not an option for violent and repeat offenders.

A judge could also impose house arrest when an offender is supposed to spend some time in jail as they wait for their sentencing. That might be because the court is concerned that the person poses a flight risk before sentencing. Therefore, the judge will order that they stay at home on monitoring device until such a time that they are tried.

There are no crimes that when one commits then they will be sentenced to home detention. You would need to ask for that option. It is easier for first time offenders, sickly people and offenders who are non-violent to get this kind of sentencing. It is also applicable to those with steady incomes. At the same time, it would be an option for a minor leaving with his or her parents.

Defendants are expected to demonstrate to the judge that they need that option as an alternative to jail time. They are expected to provide such evidence as testimonies from those who know them. There will also be the need to provide documents like affidavits.

The affidavit should be from the employer showing that the person is a critical part of operations of the company. The judge sentences a person to house arrest when they consider jail time too harsh and parole too soft as punishment. You will usually be expected to contribute to cost of house arrest.




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