why do people who get probation have to pay a monthly fee??

Question

what in the world is it going towards, the probation officer's salary or just to the state that a crime was committed in???

Answer 1

I'm a probation officer. When someone is placed on probation, they have several fees they have to pay, at least in Indiana.

First of all, there are court costs, which are separate from the probation user's fees. This goes to the county to cover the cost of running the courtroom.

If someone owes restitution, they pay that to the county clerk's office, who then distributes the money to the victim or victims. Neither of these amounts are included in the probation user's fees.

When someone is placed on probation, in our county, they pay an administrative fee just to begin probation. For juveniles, we charge $100. Then there are the Initial Probation User's Fee, which is usually $75-100, and which is to be paid within 30 days of beginning probation. Starting the second month of probation, we begin charging monthly fees which range from $15-25. Juveniles placed on Informal Adjustments only pay a monthly fee of $15. Those are generally the kids on probation for low level offenses, such as truancy. They don't have to go to court, and just admit in our office and sign the paperwork.

The probation user's fees go toward the costs of running our Probation Department, including the salaries of the probation officers. Our department is completely self-supporting, with NO funds received from the taxpayers. I don't know if that's true for other counties, but it is for our's.

In addition to the above fees, probationers also get charged $30 for every time we do a Urine Drug Screen, $50 to get placed on Community Corrections Road Crew (for court ordered community service), $30 for an assessment we do of the adjucated juveniles to determine needed services, $75 if ordered to attend Juvenile Boot Camp, as well as other fees.

If a person is placed on Electronic Monitoring, they pay a $100 setup fee and then pay $8 per day, as well as $30 for weekly urine screens. If a juvenile is placed in detention at the juvenile detention facility, they are charged $100 a day.

If the fees aren't paid, the person can be revoked for failing to abide by the court order, since the judge orders these terms. A judgement can be issued against them, so that their credit suffesrs if they do not pay what they owe. For juveniles, we can close their case unsuccessfully in addition to the judgement for unpaid fees. Closing a case unsuccessfully means that their juvenile offenses can be used against them as prior offenses when they become adults. If we close a case successfully on a juvenile, the juvenile offenses don't become part of their permanent record.

Answer 2

it truly is needed to pay the probation fee each month. I had a chum which could no longer did no longer pay his month-to-month probation fee, subsequently he did no longer pass to his month-to-month probation officer assembly, they issued a warrant for his arrest. He has been in penal complex for the previous 9 months and getting out this week. She needs to pay that fee.

Answer 3

It goes to the county. When on probation you are actually on Community Supervision and the fees go back to the community in which you committed the crime

Answer 4

It covers several things. A portion goes to restitution to the victim, some to cover court costs involved in trying him/her, and some to cover the expenses involved in supervising his/her Probation.

It's a way to make the criminal pay for their crime, and also reduce the cost to the taxpayer.

Answer 5

maybe its a way to prove to them that the person that got in provation is responsible enough to keep paying month by month for what he/she did.

Answer 6

OR MAYBE THE VICTIM OF THE CRIME....EVER THINK OF THAT!!!! DON'T DO THE CRIME IF U CAN'T DO THE TIME!!!!!!

Answer 7

criminals deserve to be bilked out of any spare cash they get a hold of.