When someone is placed under house arrest, they are not allowed to leave their homes unless it is for certain circumstances. House arrest is usually handed down when someone has done an illegal activity that was not severe enough to demand jail time, but still severe enough to require monitoring. The time that you will be on house arrest will vary. It will depend on the crime you have committed, and how the judge has decided to rule on your case. It just maybe a couple of days, but in some cases, it could be months.
Will I Have to Remain in My House the Entire Time?
Most people assume that house arrest means that you will be in your home 24/7, just like you would in jail. This is not the case. Depending on your criminal record, and the crimes you have committed, you will be allowed to go to work, community service, school, doctor’s appointments, court-approved activities, and counseling sessions. The judge will also order a curfew for you. With this curfew, you must do your activity and then go back to your home. Even when going out for your outings, you will still need to wear a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet. This bracelet must be worn 24/7.
Fees for House Arrest
House arrest is much cheaper than the traditional jail system. In a regular jail situation, putting a person in jail can cost well over $20,000 a year. Putting someone under house arrest will be around $6,000 a year. You will be responsible for some of these costs. Generally, you will have to pay a weekly or monthly payment. This payment goes towards the cost of your GPS ankle bracelet as well as the monitoring that is done for you. The price of your bracelet and monitoring will vary depending on the department. Some offices have a set payment that everyone must pay. Other offices have a sliding scale for those who might not be able to pay for the bracelet or monitoring service.
The Disadvantages of House Arrest
Going under house arrest does have a few disadvantages. If you serve time in jail, you will get good time credits. This time credit is a program that allows you to serve less time for good behavior. These good time credits vary from state to state. For example, if your jail sentence was 120 days, you can get a credit for one additional day for each day you have served. You would only have to spend 60 days in jail. However, with house arrest, you will have to serve the full time.
Another disadvantage of house arrest is that you will not have the freedom to go and do everything that you want. The only things that you will be able to do are court approved activities. If you try to do something that is not in the court approved list, you could find yourself right back in jail.
Being Under House Arrest While Out on Bond
In some cases, you may find that the court orders you to wear a GPS ankle monitor while out on bail. Some people are ordered to wear this ankle monitor while they are waiting for their time in court. This is usually done for those who are a flight risk or that there are any concerns about. Bernie Madoff, who was charged with scheming his investors out of billions of dollars, was released and placed on house arrest while he awaited his trial.
What Happens if you Break the Rules?
House arrest is like parole. If you find yourself breaking the rules while under house arrest, you will be arrested and sent to jail. You will then not have the opportunity to go on house arrest. You will have to serve the remainder of your time in jail. In some cases, you may get charged with more if you break the rules. House arrest rules will vary depending on the state and county that you are in. You will want to make sure that both you and your attorney know all the rules and regulations before you get the ankle monitor.
If you have been arrested and are going under house arrest, remember to obey all the rules. You will need to follow all the rules and regulations to ensure that you get off your house arrest in a timely manner. Speak with your lawyer to see how long your sentence will be.
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