You may think that being sentenced to “house arrest” is only an option for wealthy, powerful people who are convicted of a crime. In fact, it can be an option for many Georgia defendants who have been convicted of non-violent offenses, are not considered dangerous or flight risks and are willing to abide by the terms that come with it.
House arrest, which is also sometimes referred to as home confinement, also has its benefits for the justice system because it reduces overcrowding in jails and prisons. Further, the person serving house arrest has to pay a fee that helps offset the cost to the government (and the taxpayers).
The requirements for house arrest
Under Georgia law, the defendant must be electronically monitored at all times. That typically involves wearing an “ankle bracelet” 24/7 that lets authorities know their location.
Often, a person under house arrest is allowed to leave their house to go to specific locations like work, school, the grocery store, the doctor and their attorney’s office or court. The electronic monitor notifies authorities if they go somewhere they’re not authorized to go. Some types of ankle bracelets can also detect alcohol in a person’s perspiration. These may be used when abstaining from alcohol is a condition of a person’s sentence.
If you have the option for house arrest, either for serving a sentence after conviction or for pretrial detention, it’s crucial to make sure that you know and understand all of the regulations and are willing and able to abide by them. Violating them can exacerbate your legal problems. However, being able to live with it can give you some level of freedom and normalcy.