If you were arrested, charged with a crime, and convicted, you may feel like your only path forward is incarceration. However, for many defendants, there are some alternatives. Here are several ways you can “get out of jail” and how an experienced Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer can assist you.
Restitution to the Victim
If the crime involved a victim that experienced a financial loss due to the actions of the defendant, restitution or fines may be ordered. Restitution is designed to compensate the victim for any financial losses they incurred as a result of the crime. Typically, restitution is reserved for lesser crimes like vandalism, disorderly conduct, and petty theft.
Service to the Community
A common incarceration alternative is community service, which is often awarded along with other penalties such as probation and restitution. What type of community service you will be ordered to perform depends on the type of crime you were convicted of and the judge presiding over the case. Creative community service tailored to the offense is becoming a more popular jail alternative and has the potential to greatly reduce the risk of recidivism.
House Arrest Incarceration
House arrest, where you are confined to your home instead of a jail cell, is often an option for first-time offenders who were convicted of a minor or non-violent crime. Repeat offenders or individuals convicted of violent crimes against another person are unlikely to be eligible for house arrest versus incarceration.
Counseling, Anger Management, and Rehabilitation
Drug and alcohol counseling and rehabilitation have been proven successful at reducing the risk of recidivism and are often ordered by judges either in conjunction with jail time or with other non-incarceration penalties. Crimes that generally result in this type of penalty are drug and alcohol related; for example, drinking and driving and causing and accident or domestic violence.
What a Cape Cod Criminal Defense Attorney Can Do For You
Beyond advocating for you during your criminal trial to increase the chances that the charges against you are dismissed or reduced, your lawyer can also help ensure that you don’t have to see the inside of a jail cell if at all possible.
Your attorney can assist you with negotiating for creative incarceration alternatives that are designed to reduce recidivism instead of simply doling out penalties that have little chance of rehabilitation. If you were charged with a crime, call Cape Cod Criminal Defense Lawyer Thomas Kokonowski today for a consultation at 774-561-2689.
