What is community supervision in Dallas County?
Community supervision is what Texas now calls adult probation. It is a sentencing alternative to jail or prison: the person serves the sentence at home, under supervision, instead of behind bars. It is not the same as parole, which is supervised early release after time in prison.
- In Texas, adult probation is now called community supervision.
- Community supervision is a sentence served in the community instead of in jail or prison.
- Parole is different: it is supervised release after serving part of a prison sentence.
- It lets a person stay at home, keep working and support their family, with a focus on rehabilitation.
- In fiscal year 2017, Dallas County defendants on supervision worked 346,385 community service hours and paid $3,677,992 in restitution.
You’ve probably heard the terms “probation” and “parole” a number of times throughout your life. Here in Texas, adult probation is now called “community supervision,” which is different than “parole.” When someone is on parole, it means they were released early from prison but are still being supervised in the community until their parole is over.
Community supervision on the other hand, is a sentencing alternative to incarceration. When an offender is on community supervision, he or she is being supervised in the community instead of languishing in jail or prison until their sentence is over.
Community supervision is beneficial for the offender because:
- It lets them be at home.
- It lets the offender continue working.
- It lets the offender support their dependents.
- It focuses on rehabilitation instead of punishment.
- It lets the offender identify the cause of their criminal activity so they
can correct it and prevent it from occurring again. - It helps offenders by giving them access to a wide range of supportive
and rehabilitative services.
Community supervision is equally beneficial for the State of Texas and the courts because:
- It saves taxpayers a lot of money because the offenders do not have to be housed in a jail or prison.
- It allows defendants to make up the damage by having them pay restitution.
- It saves the state money because fewer relatives of offenders have to receive state benefits to cover the costs of food, medical insurance, etc. This is because the offenders can work to support their families.
- It makes room in Texas’ jails and prisons for violent offenders who are bigger threats to our communities.
Related: What is Community Supervision?
According to the Dallas County Community Supervision and Corrections (CSCD), in Fiscal Year 2017: 5,692 defendants worked Community Service Restitution (CSR), defendants worked a total of 346,385 hours, and 3,687 defendants in Dallas County paid restitution amounting to $3,677,992. As you can
see, community supervision can be a win-win situation for defendants and the state alike.
Facing criminal charges in Dallas County? To learn more about community
supervision in lieu of jail or prison, contact our firm today.
Straight probation vs deferred adjudication
| Straight probation | Deferred adjudication | |
|---|---|---|
| Conviction entered? | Yes, you are convicted, then the sentence is probated | No, the finding of guilt is postponed while you complete supervision |
| How it starts | Conviction at trial or by plea | A guilty or no contest plea, accepted by the judge |
| If revoked, exposure is | Up to the original probated sentence | The full punishment range for the offense, because no sentence was ever set |
| Record afterwards | A conviction, permanent unless a narrow exception applies | No conviction on completion, and nondisclosure is often available |
| Availability | Depends on the offense and the record | Limited by art. 42A.102: not for repeat DWI and other listed offenses |
That highlighted row decides more futures than any other line in this table, and it belongs in the plea decision itself: see pleading guilty or not guilty.
Common questions
What is the difference between community supervision and parole?
Community supervision is a sentence served in the community instead of jail or prison. Parole is supervised release for someone who was released early from prison and is still serving the sentence.
Why would a court choose community supervision instead of jail?
It lets the person keep working and support their family, pay restitution, and use rehabilitative services. It also saves taxpayers the cost of housing them in jail or prison.
Who runs community supervision in Dallas County?
The Dallas County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) supervises people the county's courts place on community supervision.
How much restitution do people on supervision in Dallas County pay?
In fiscal year 2017, according to the Dallas County CSCD, 3,687 defendants paid $3,677,992 in restitution, and 5,692 defendants worked 346,385 community service hours.
The law this article describes, at the source. Every figure above can be checked against it.
This article is general legal information about Texas law, not legal advice about your case. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change, so confirm the current rule with a licensed Texas criminal defense attorney about your specific facts. Request a free case review.