What happens if you violate your parole

In Pennsylvania, parole is a conditional release, meaning certain offenders are allowed to serve the remainder of their jail sentence out in the community if they abide by certain conditions. While anyone who has served the minimum of their sentence can get parole, it is considered a privilege and not a right.

As a result, if parole conditions are violated at any time, you may face very serious consequences. There are two types of parole violations: convicted and technical.

Convicted violators break their terms by committing a new crime, while a technical violator has violated any term of their parole without committing an additional offense.

Examples of technical violations include, but are not limited to:. During the preliminary hearing, documentary evidence and witnesses may be presented, and you will be able to make statements and answer questions although you are not required to by law.

Either you or your lawyer will be allowed to cross-examine witnesses or object to evidence being presented by the parole officer. You or your lawyer may also present evidence and call witnesses on your behalf. After the preliminary hearing takes place, the hearing officer will submit a report to the parole board.

The parole board will decide whether to hold a violation hearing. Parole revocation hearings are very different from criminal or civil proceedings: there is no jury and usually no judge, and the people making recommendations regarding your parole are typically hearing officers or parole officers. If found guilty of parole violation, the parole commission has several different options to choose from:. What happens to you depends on your risk level as a parolee, the type of violation involved, how compliant you have been, and your criminal history.

If you are accused of violating the conditions of your parole, the wisest course of action is to retain legal representation. The penalties associated with violating parole are serious even if you are not sent back to prison. A parole violation attorney can fight to make sure that your rights are upheld during both preliminary and final parole hearings by presenting evidence, calling witnesses, and presenting your side of the story to the parole board.

If you or someone you care about is accused of a parole violation, contact the Law Offices of Robert L. Schwarz without delay. Have you been accused of a parole violation in Houston?

Contact experienced parole attorney Greg Tsioros today for a consultation ». If the parole officer assigned to you believed you violated the conditions of parole, he or she may issue a blue warrant for your arrest. Under the law, before the parolee is returned to jail or prison, or subject to additional consequences resulting from the parole violation, he or she has the right to legal due process.

This means you have the right to a hearing, hear evidence presented against you, and the right to defend yourself. Call an experienced parole attorney now, before matters escalate. He may have the skills necessary to put things right.

You must choose to fight with the help of an experienced parole violation attorney at your side:. Some parolees live in fear of violating any of the conditions of their parole. Some conditions are quite easily violated and, at a parole revocation hearing, the burden of proof is lower than proving the individual is guilty of a crime.

Without an experienced parole attorney, preparing for the parole revocation hearing can be complex, difficult, and frustrating. He understands the parole revocation process described under Texas Government Code, Chapter At the parole revocation hearing, the parolee is apt to see his or her parole officer and a hearing officer who conducts the hearing.

If there are witnesses requested by either the defendant parolee or his or her parole officer, they will also attend the hearing. The parolee, or his or her attorney, may object to evidence as the evidence is presented. He or she may cross-examine any testimony, witness, or evidence placed against him or her. After the parole officer completes this step, the parolee may testify, present evidence e.

Once the evidence is presented from both sides, the hearing officer considers the facts and makes a finding.