When you are charged with any type of infraction of the law, your goal may be to be awarded no conviction and to move on with your life, especially if you know you are innocent. Yet, there are many times when this does not happen, but you are facing an opportunity for parole or probation. Understanding the difference between parole and probation can help you to know more about what you can expect in a criminal defense case.
What Is Parole?
Parole is not actually a sentence. Rather, it is a type of release for those who have been convicted and served time incarcerated. At this point, the court believes that the individual can be released from incarceration but applies parole to their case. That means that, even though they are no longer in jail, they are under the watchful eye of a parole officer.
Parole often will have a significant number of requirements and restrictions. Most often, there are terms to parole, including those related to when they must meet with their parole officer and what they can and cannot do. If they violate parole, the individual may be sent back to jail.
What Is Probation?
Probation is a type of sentencing that is given at the time of conviction of a crime. It is a sentence that means a person does not have to go to jail. Instead, a person is required to follow a set of rules, often for a specific amount of time, and may have to pay fees. They may also have to complete other requirements as set forth by the court. This may include drug and alcohol screenings, obtaining substance abuse help, and meeting with a probation officer.
The difference here is that a person who is awarded probation does not have to be incarcerated for what occurred. Instead, they are able to go home (or to the designated place to obtain care). The belief here is that a person is able to return to the community and can continue to be supervised in an adequate fashion from a distance.
Which Is an Option for Your Case?
When you work with our criminal defense attorney, our goal will always be to help you prove you are innocent of the charges. If that is not possible for any reason, we will then work on keeping you out of jail, which means seeking out probation in most cases. The key here is to ensure that if you have to be incarcerated, there is an option for parole as early as possible. That can be within a matter of days or weeks, depending on the specifics of your case.
Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Your Case with Our Legal Team
Turn to a criminal defense attorney in Indianapolis who is passionate about helping people. Call on Wruble Law LLC today to learn what your legal rights are. We are happy to answer all of your questions and guide you in moving your case forward with the best possible outcome. Contact our office now for a consultation.