Understanding Illinois’ Probation Requirements

 Posted on May 07, 2019 in Criminal Law

When you find yourself in trouble with the law, there are dozens of outcomes that could arise from an arrest and conviction. Most of the time, the biggest fear offenders have is going to jail, but not all crimes carry prison sentences. Even if you are convicted of a crime that carries prison time, you will not necessarily be sentenced to prison time. 

One of the more favorable outcomes of any criminal conviction is probation. Probation is typically used as an alternative to a prison sentence, allowing the offender to proceed with their normal life -- with a few exceptions. There are certain things that the state of Illinois requires those who are sentenced with probation to do and certain things that are prohibited during the probationary period.

Prohibited Actions During Probation

For the most part, the things that you are forbidden from doing during your probation sentence depend on the type of crime you committed and what the judge believes is appropriate to prohibit you from doing. All offenders who are on probation are not permitted to leave the state without the court’s permission, violate any criminal statute anywhere or possess a firearm if your crime was a felony or a misdemeanor that involved the intentional infliction of bodily harm.

In addition, you could have other restrictions during your probationary period based off of your original crime. For example, a person who is convicted of drug possession or distribution may be ordered to not have any amount of a controlled substance in their system at any time. A person who is convicted of domestic violence and has a record of violent behavior when they are drinking may be ordered not to drink or have any amount of alcohol in their system.

Requirements For Compliance

You will also have certain things that you must do in order to be compliant with your probation sentence. Everyone who is sentenced to probation is required to report to an assigned probation officer at regular intervals so that the officer may ensure they are following probation rules. Many people are also required to perform anywhere from 30 to 120 hours of community service and pay fines, court costs or restitution.

Judges can also tailor requirements to fit a person’s specific conviction. For example, a person who is convicted of possession of a controlled substance and is found to have an addiction may be ordered to attend drug addiction treatment or counseling. A person who is convicted of a hate crime may be required to perform at least 200 hours of public or community service, in addition to attending an educational program that discourages hate crimes by providing cultural, ethnic and racial sensitivity training.

Are You Facing Criminal Charges? A DuPage County Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help

Though probation is one of the more favorable outcomes of a criminal charge, there are certain things that you can and cannot do during probation. It is important that you are careful to heed the terms of your probation, or you could find yourself in even more trouble with the law. Probation violations could result in you being sent to jail and even more criminal charges. At the Davi Law Group, LLC, our skilled Wheaton, IL criminal defense lawyers have experience handling a variety of criminal charges, including white collar crimes and juvenile offenses. Call our office today at 630-580-6373 to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073000050K5-6-3

https://legalbeagle.com/6615662-probation-rules-illinois.html