Avoiding Jail in Tampa, FL

Tampa Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you or a member of your family has been charged with a criminal offense in the Tampa area, and are facing the possibility of jail, you need to know that there are alternatives for qualified clients. Most often, this involves serving a period of time on probation, where the client completes certain court ordered conditions and reports monthly to his or her assigned probation officer.

In cases where the State or Judge determines that standard probation is inappropriate, there are other alternative programs that may be available, including work release, day reporting, residential drug or alcohol treatment, and house arrest. These programs allow the client to avoid the confines of a jail cell, and continue to work or attend school. To assess the likelihood of a non-incarcerative disposition in your case, contact a Tampa criminal attorney.

Alternatives to Incarceration in Florida

Probation: Probation requires regular reporting, typically on a monthly basis, to a probation officer to ensure compliance with court ordered conditions, and no new law violations. Depending on the nature of the charge, and the underlying circumstances, conditions may include a curfew, a prohibition against frequenting certain places, substance abuse counseling, DUI School, or anger management. You are otherwise permitted to continue with the normal activities of daily life, such as working or going to school.
Work Release: Work release typically involves release from incarceration on a daily basis to continue working while serving your sentence. Under most circumstances, you work during the day and return to the facility at night.
Day Reporting: On a daily basis, up to 180 days, you attend rehabilitation classes and do other activities.
Residential Drug Treatment or Alcohol Treatment: Where appropriate, the Judge may require you to reside in a residential treatment facility, in lieu of serving a jail sentence, to address underlying substance abuse issues in a stabilizing environment.
House Arrest/Community Control: House arrest or community control is a stricter form of supervision than standard probation and entails a curfew that is enforced by the probation officer. You may attend school or work but must return home within a specified time thereafter. Compliance is verified through random and unannounced checks at the locations you are required to be. The Court may also require GPS monitoring in some situations.

Fight for your freedom!

At The Law Office of Timothy Hessinger, we seek to avoid incarcerative sentences in all cases. We are very familiar with the alternatives available, and do all we can to pursue those avenues for our clients. This may also involve negotiating with the prosecutor for the filing of charges that do not score mandatory prison time on Florida's sentencing guidelines, or carry a minimum mandatory prison sentence under Florida's 10-20-Life statute, where these sanctions would otherwise apply. Contact a Tampa criminal defense attorney from our firm now for a free consultation regarding your case and how we can help you stay out of jail. Call us at (813) 501-2688!