[larry66]

Ok I was put on 6 months unsupervised probation which they said if I got in anymore trouble I would have to go to jail for 10 days. I just got a DUI and when they brought me into jail they didn't even mention anything about it. I also went to jail in myrtle beach for a day and they didn't mention anything about that either. Should I tell them that I was put on the probation, or should I let them do their job and find out for themselves? The past 2 times they haven't even mentioned it so I'm feeling like I shouldn't say anything. What should I do?

[JimGunther]

I was a probation officer in Maryland for 7 years and in my state you have not violated probation until you are convicted. You better look at your probation order-in my state, one of the standard conditions of probation is that you must tell your PO if you pick up any new charges and whether you get convicted of anything or not, it's a violation if you don't tell them. We have a system whereby we would get a computer-generated message telling us if someone picked up a new charge in the state.

Unsupervised cases did not have an active PO until someone picked up a new charge, then they got one real quick. You said that the last two times you haven't mentioned it. Do you mean the last two office visits? In my state unsupervised probation means no office visits or other conditions except not getting convicted of anything.

[excon]

so I'm feeling like i shouldn't say anything. What should I do?

Hello larry:

I've always found that it ISN'T a good idea to snitch on yourself.

excon

[DrJ]

Surely, you should let them do your job. However, it is not up to the C.O.s at the jail to sentence you. That is for the judge &/or jury to decide. Once you go to court, the judge may impose your suspended sentence and make you do 10 days in jail or (s)he may not.

[larry66]

I was a probation officer in Maryland for 7 years and in my state you have not violated probation until you are convicted. You better look at your probation order-in my state, one of the standard conditions of probation is that you must tell your PO if you pick up any new charges and whether you get convicted of anything or not, its a violation if you don't tell them. We have a system whereby we would get a computer-generated message telling us if someone picked up a new charge in the state.

Unsupervised cases did not have an active PO until someone picked up a new charge, then they got one real quick. You said that the last two times you haven't mentioned it. Do you mean the last two office visits? In my state unsupervised probation means no office visits or other conditions except not getting convicted of anything.

Thanks for your help it really does help me through all this, but the last two times I have been in jail once in myrtle beach and in my hometown in tn. Where I received the unsupervised probation was in another county, and when I went to jail in my hometown they didn't mention anything about me being on unsupervised probation. Some people I have talked to that have been in my situation say that not to say a word about it, that its just a scare tactic so that I would stay out of trouble. So the last two times I have been in jail, them not mentioning it is making me think that it was just a scare tactic.

[DrJ]

Look at your probation paperwork. If you have a suspended sentence, it will say so in your probation conditions.

However, if it's there, it doesn't mean that they HAVE to impose your suspended sentence.

At any rate, it is not your duty to remind the courts of what they said they would do (unless you want it to be).

Is this all in the same state? You mentioned Myrtle Beach and Tennessee? If you were in another state when you got the DUI and whatever else you went to jail on, your suspended sentence would come up as a probation violation in the original county where you were put on probation and they would have to extradite you back there.

It is likely that you just aren't worth all that trouble to them so they chose not to extradite you.