Defendant on Probation

Probation is a judicial status imposed on a criminal defendant who agrees to be supervised, usually formally, by our county probation department under specified conditions. The Chief Probation Officer for the 18th Judicial District is Robin Leaf.
In Colorado, probation is responsible for:

• preparing pre-sentence investigation reports
• assessing offender
• supervising offenders
• providing victim notification

All this is done in a manner that promotes pro-social behavior, community safety, and offender accountability. The offender who is "on probation" has been convicted of a crime, but instead of serving a sentence in jail or prison, has been found by the Court to be appropriate for probation. The offender is returned to the community for a period of time in which they must conform to certain conditions set forth by the Court under the supervision of a probation officer. General conditions may include:

• maintaining employment
• abiding by a curfew
• living where directed
• abstaining from unlawful behavior and
• Following the probation officer's orders

Other conditions of probation that may be added include, but are not limited too:

• counseling
• parenting classes
• substance abuse treatment
• antabuse
• domestic violence treatment
• sex offender treatment
• no use of alcohol
• no driving
• community service
• no guns during period of probation
• complete GED

Probation provides services to the offender but never forgets the victim of the crime. Colorado Probation Victim Services offers victims the opportunity to be informed of the offender's status throughout the probation sentence. As a victim or a member of the victim's family, your rights are guaranteed by the Colorado Constitution. Too often, people feel victimized by the criminal defendant and the legal system. Assisting you in understanding your rights and being sure that victims of crime are treated with fairness, respect and dignity is the goal of the Victim Services Program within the Colorado Probation System.

NOTIFICATION IS NOT AUTOMATIC

Remember that probation will not automatically notify you of the offender’s status. You must enroll! To enroll in the Victim Notification Program, you must complete the attached Probation Victim Notification Enrollment Form. You may enroll by completing the attached enrollment form. After receiving your completed form probation will notify you of the following:

• Revocation hearings
• summons or warrants
• changes in supervision
• modifications of terms and conditions
• request for early termination
• Supervision transferred to private provider
• death of the offender
  

WHEN IS THE OFFENDER RELEASED FROM PROBATION?

An offender may be released from probation under the following circumstances:
Expiration of sentence: the full sentence is competed by the offender.
Revocation: if the offenders do not comply with the terms and conditions of probation, they may be ordered back to court. Probation may be revoked and the offender may be incarcerated or re-sentenced to probation.

For further information contact the Victim Assistance Program for your county:

Arapahoe and Lincoln Counties
Victim Assistance program
1610 W. Littleton Blvd.
Littleton, CO 80120
303-794-4890 x 109, 122

Douglas and Elbert Counties
Victim Assistance Program
4000 Justice Way, #2430
Castle Rock, CO 80109
303-814-7188