Supervision

     The second service that Schuyler County Probation provides is of course, supervision of individuals that are ordered to be under probation supervision. A probation sentence can be coupled with jail, but in essence, is an alternative to incarceration. This means that instead of serving a straight county jail or state prison term, a defendant may be ordered to probation supervision with instructions to follow specific terms that guide the defendant to act in a law-abiding manner. The goal is to influence positive behavioral changes for those that need encouragement in reaching that outcome. The defendant would then be free to continue to function within the community, maintaining their employment or education, taking care of their family, or even attending treatment or counseling programs to reach that end goal. All terms of probation include obeying laws, refraining from using illicit drugs, informing probation of where the defendant lives, keeping in constant contact with a probation officer and maintaining an education or employment when possible. A probation sentence may include tailored terms for probationers such as attending substance abuse treatment, Drug Treatment Court, mental health counseling, sex offender treatment, refraining from entering a bar or other establishments, submitting to drug or alcohol tests, drivers license restrictions, an ignition interlock device, house arrest, curfews, community service, paying restitution among other terms as needed and applicable to reach the desired goals established by the court. 

     Schuyler County Probation monitors defendants to make sure they are in compliance with these court ordered terms and conditions of probation through continuous office visits with the probationer, home visits at the probationer’s residence, collateral contacts with the probationer’s family, friends, employers, schools and service providers. Our department conducts drug and alcohol screens to determine drug use. We work closely with other law enforcement agencies as well as all involved treatment providers to monitor compliance and cooperation. If a defendant fails to comply with their terms and conditions, a probation officer may file a violation of probation and ask the court for an arrest warrant for the probationer and/or a declaration of delinquency freezing their probation time to address the violation matter. The officer may make a recommendation to the court as to what to do with the defendant, such as continue probation with modified terms, further treatment as recommended by a treatment provider, a split sentence of probation and jail, or even to revoke the probation sentence altogether and resentence the probationer to a straight term of appropriate incarceration. All with the original goal in mind and intentions of positive behavioral change and enhancing community safety.