PAROLE VIOLATIONS ATTORNEY IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

Parole is a privilege. Although convictions for some crimes guarantee a parole hearing after a certain amount of time is served, there are no guarantees a prisoner will be granted parole. Those who are granted parole are given an opportunity to begin rebuilding their lives outside of incarceration.

Between 2015 and 2019, approximately 15% of individuals imprisoned in Pennsylvania violated the terms and conditions of their parole. If you have violated parole or are considering violating parole, talk to me first. At Marc V. Taiani, Esquire and Allegheny Attorneys at Law, P.C., I provide TOUGH CRIMINAL DEFENSE to clients in Pittsburgh as well as Shaler, Ross, O’Hara, and the rest of Pennsylvania. Let me help you understand your parole violation and your legal options.

HOW DO PEOPLE VIOLATE PAROLE?

When you are granted parole, you will be advised of the terms and conditions you must comply with, or face penalties for violating them. Failure to adhere to any terms is a violation; some common ways people violate parole include:

• A failure to report to the parole officer as scheduled and without notice

• A failure to pay your fine as ordered by the court

• Having unauthorized contact with victims you have been ordered to avoid

• Failing a test to measure drugs or alcohol in your system

• Traveling beyond the approved boundaries you are allowed to be in

• Getting arrested for another crime

HOW ARE VIOLATORS CLASSIFIED?

There are two types of parole violators: convicted and technical. A convicted parole violator commits and is convicted or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a crime punishable by imprisonment while on parole or delinquent from parole. Convictions for some third-degree misdemeanors or summary offenses may also fall into this classification.

A technical violator disregards the terms and conditions of parole in some other way, such as not reporting to the parole officer or traveling outside the restricted area.

WHAT PENALTIES ARE THERE FOR PAROLE VIOLATIONS?

There are a variety of penalties convicted and technical parole violators may face. Penalties depend on the nature of the violation, any special circumstances, and whether you have violated parole previously. You will have the opportunity to defend your actions at a parole violation hearing before any penalties are levied.

While you are awaiting a parole board hearing, you may be arrested and detained in a corrections facility. If found guilty of violating conditions of parole, you could be released from detention but could face a longer period of parole than originally granted.

If you are arrested for a crime while on parole, you can be detained until the new case is disposed of, even if you post bail. If the parole board finds you guilty of violating parole, they will likely revoke your parole, and you may be sent back to prison to finish serving the sentence you would have served had you not been granted parole. The revocation would be in addition to any penalty for a conviction for the new offense.

Other sanctions for violating parole include such consequences as fines, increased drug testing, and more frequent required visits with the parole officer.

DON’T RISK YOUR FUTURE. LET ME HELP.

Even if you have violated your parole, you should not merely accept the penalties without mounting a defense. Parole board hearings can be more complex than the trial that led to your initial conviction—you’ll need someone standing on your side throughout the process. Sanctions for violating your parole or revocation of the privilege can make it difficult for you to ask for another chance later, but it is not impossible. The best thing you can do is put AN EXPERIENCED CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY in your corner.