In the state of Florida, judges may place convicted criminal offenders under surveillance or house arrest. This form of community control serves as an alternative to prison or jail. According to the Florida Department of Corrections, this program was created to promote accountability on the part of the offender whilst giving the guilty party an alternative to imprisonment.

Probation Versus Community Control Sentence

Most people think that probation and community control are the same. While they do have their similarities, community control is much more restrictive compared to probation.

People under probation have to follow a set of rules while they are outside the confines of prison, but they are given a certain amount of freedom as long as they do not violate their probation regulations.

Community control, on the other hand, prohibits the guilty party from leaving their residence if it is not for work, school, or medical affairs. Even doing measly grocery runs are monitored — people under community control need to ask permission from their handler first before they are allowed to do errands or chores.

What Are the Types of Community Control Sentences?

The State of Florida holds the record for having the single largest community control supervision program in the U.S. This is a highly-monitored program, as offenders are tracked 24/7 to make sure that they do not violate their community control conditions.
There are two types of community control in Florida. The first type of community control requires convicted offenders to provide a detailed schedule of their work, schooling, and medical errands. If they want to do something that is not included in the approved schedule, they must seek permission from their handler first before working on what they need to do.

The second type of community control also includes the provisions in the first type. However, there’s an added condition in the second type of community control: offenders must wear GPS monitored that are tracked by machines all day and night.

What Type of Offenders Qualify for a Community Control Sentence?

Under Florida law, probation or parole violators may qualify for community control. Convicted offenders of non-capital felonies who cannot be placed in regular probations are given the opportunity to face a semblance of (limited) freedom with community control.

What’s the Goal of a Community Control Sentence?

Although community control may seem restrictive and psychologically damaging, it also offers some remunerations that will benefit various people. The most important aspect of community control is the idea that state governments place pressure on these convicted offenders to completely take accountability for their actions. By giving offenders a sense of responsibility, the state encourages the rehabilitation and conversion of individuals.

Should offenders violate the terms of their community control, the court can revoke the community control sentence.

Learn more about Community Control from a Criminal Defense Lawyer

As a responsible citizen, you should know the different set of rules concerning the criminal justice system in Florida. That way, if you ever encounter the same issue, you know what to do and how to behave.

For legal advice or representation, contact a Miami criminal defense attorney. Call the Piotrowski Law at (305) 204-5000 today.