The Umansky Law Firm

If you have been arrested and then convicted of a crime in the state of Florida, you may have been put on probation as part of your punishment. Probation is simply the suspension of a jail sentence. You have been found guilty of what you were charged with but instead of serving jail time, the court has decided to put you on probation for a certain amount of time. During this time, you will have to report to what is called a probation officer. Probation rules vary from state to state, of course.

While you are on probation, you will be expected to do and NOT do certain things. General conditions may include maintaining employment, abiding to a curfew, living where directed, abstaining from unlawful behavior, following the probation officer's orders, not leaving the state, and refraining from contact with other individuals, such as former partners in crime or convicted felons.

For you legal history buffs out there reading, Wikipedia tells us that probation first developed in the United States when John Augustus, a Boston boot maker, persuaded a judge in the Boston Police Court in 1841 to give him custody of a convicted offender, a "drunkard," for a brief period and then helped the man to appear rehabilitated by the time of sentencing.

Probation began as a humanitarian effort to allow first-time and minor offenders a second chance. Early probationers were expected not only to obey the law but also to behave in a morally acceptable fashion. Officers sought to provide moral leadership to help shape probationers' attitudes and behavior with respect to family, religion, employment, and free time. They aimed to ensure that this was enforced as well, and early probationers were given the opportunity to prove themselves and possibly even reduce their sentence.

Violating probation is a serious offense in Florida. If you have been convicted of a crime and are on probation but have violated the conditions of your probation in the Orlando area or anywhere in Florida, please contact the experienced probation violation attorneys at The Umansky Law Firm today to schedule an initial consultation.