Member Submission: Survival Tips and Successes
Living on the registry is punitive enough, but when you are also on sex offense probation, life is even worse. Besides the ankle monitor and the strict liability laws that go with it, everyone agrees that SO probation is far worse than any other type of probation, including that for released murderers. We have a member that would like to share with our other members some survival tips and success stories he has experienced while currently being on probation.
We encourage other members, whether a person forced to be on the registry or a family member or a friend, to submit your survival tips or success stories while on the registry in hopes that there might be an individual(s) who could profit from hearing about your experiences. You can send these submissions to [email protected]. Your name will not be used.
The following is an FAC member’s submission:
Yes, probation stinks but:
Anyone currently on probation or who has been on probation in the past knows how ridiculous the conditions are. The conditions have evolved over the years and frankly in some cases are very difficult for some probationers to comply with whether they want to or not. But for their sake, in this message, I would like to concentrate on the things that I found have helped me to more positively work with probation and benefit from my efforts.
I completed my parenting class, anger management class, drug and alcohol, and financial class while I was incarcerated. By doing so, I reduced my commitments when I got home allowing me to concentrate on other things.
In the first 10 months of being on 10 years of SO probation I completed my community service, found a way to pay off my court expenses and complete the court ordered SO therapy.
I made my mind up the day I was sentenced and the judge read the conditions of my probation in the courtroom that I was not going to let my probation get in my way of renewing my life and my life with my family and friends.
I don’t tell you what I accomplished while I was away and since I’ve been home for any other reason but to share with you how it helped me. I filed two motions last year. One being for rights to be around kids and the other to access the internet. Having all the certificates I earned in prison plus the things I’ve accomplished at home, I earned the respect of my PO and others in the system that allowed my two motions to be awarded without objection in 8 months of being home. Having my probation modified helped make a bad situation a little bit better.
It’s the effort of doing what is required of us, like it or not, that the PO and others including judges look for to see how we are progressing at home. When you go before a judge for probation modifications, the judge wants to see something positive. They see negative every day. They also want to see support for you from your PO. I have encouraged others in my SO group therapy to do the work, complete the course and earn some positive accomplishments for themselves and to let their PO know they are serious about successfully completing their probation. Maybe even file to have it terminate early. Most importantly, eliminate something they really don’t like doing like paying $20 a week attending group therapy. It would be easy to say that I don’t care what the court or the PO think about me but in reality I do because for now they control a part of my life
If you have a loved one still serving time, encourage them to take every certification program they can while inside. Bring those certificates home with them. When they get home, have them get to work and complete as much of their requirements and get them behind them. Getting the conditions done is a feeling of accomplishment and lets everyone know that we will not let probation completely rule our lives. Sure, I have ups and downs still being on probation. A visit with my nephews or nieces and being able to type this email helps bring me back up.
Make the choice to make the best of a bad thing.
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One way you can tell that everyone’s experience is different: those with one type of probation experience are accused below, of lying about their experience, by those who had a different experience.
Overall, when someone says, “this was my personal experience on probation,” I believe them over someone who doesn’t know them.
It’s all about your own conditions.
The best predictor of your probation experience is the conditions printed on your judgment order. No other factor comes close.
This discussion topic, by contrast, is NOT a good predictor, because conditions vary greatly by offender, and because it has spurred questionable legal advice. We are not a law firm, and “schools, parks, and county fairs are off-limits to you by state law” is not good advice unless your conditions or your PO tell you so. (I’m not trying to pick on everyone).
Read your conditions again and again.
Listen to your PO always.
Engage in recovery-bound activities that aren’t prohibited to you.
And, as someone pointed out below, you can still live a good life.
*’A good life remains within reach for many,’ I should have said. Am not trying to pick on anyone.
What do these wizards think it’s easy for people to get jobs while having a record and being in prison for months or decades? It’s not like we’re them and can continue to break laws while they aren’t held accountable. The whole system is a joke and not even remotely funny. It’s sad that corruption and greed run our country. I believe something will give sooner or later hopefully soon because this is freaking ridiculous.
I played the game or a year and a half and was revoked basically for being broke. Once released from that, I decided that I’d never again roll over for nonsense.
First, I refused to go to the same polygraph company. When I found another one, I made no secret that the procedure is a sham – polygraphists are no more lie detectors than they are brain surgeons. I called him out when he was obviously fishing and essentially told him I couldn’t care less what his conclusions were.
Later on, after reviewing the state mental health statutes, I found that the stupid program I was in violated virtually the entire code section. Rather than going to the court, I submitted ethical grievances against the company with every mental health organization they belonged to.
Afterward, the “treatment” providers fast-tracked me through their stupid program. My PO (a good one, by the way) told me after that that I didn’t have to do polygraphs anymore, which I kind of regret in a way; I’d love to take that requirement back to court.
Probation is a lot easier now. My PO drops by once a month and never comes in the house. A couple weeks later, a two-minute Google Meet.
When did the justice system become a revolving door where all that matters is how many beds are filled in jails/prisons. Why even have a justice system when it sets people up for failure? Probation and parole are a joke with all these restrictions and if someone violates due to something beyond their control they get sent back. When a person does what the system wants they really is no incentive for being successful.
Where’s our right to live in freedom from the system after your sentence is up? Being on the registry is lifetime probation where the stacks are high and obstacles from being on it make the Himalayas look like hills.
Probation experiences vary greatly depending on one’s conditions and whether one is state or Federal. Some of the state experiences I’m reading here would sound foreign to a Federal probationer. The US Probation Office belongs to a different branch of government than the US Bureau of Prisons, for example; there’s no incentive for your PO to send you back to the BOP, and doing so is a hassle for them, so just don’t put yourself in the position of making them do it. This is in contrast to state probation, which I’m told is connected to the Department of Corrections (correct me if I’m wrong).‘Federal Sex Offender Probation’ is not a thing, though your your Federal probation office may have certain standard interpretations of common sex offender conditions.
The PO’s job is to monitor and enforce your compliance with the release conditions that your court ordered for you at sentencing. Some of those conditions are standard, and some are special for you. The more conditions you have, the more effort required of both you and your PO.
Most sex offenders are ordered into treatment. There have been some unpleasant stories about them on this forum, but providers vary, and certain ones are actually very good and have helped people work through a variety of issues. Polygraph examiners vary also, but there are some who show respect and focus on appropriate and understandable questions.
The law does not forbid SO’s going where children gather. Except for certain counties, for certain types of places.
Obviously, if you have a condition against going where children gather, you should comply with this condition. Not everyone has it. Some SO’s on probation, take their kids to school. And remember that there may be significant differences between state and Federal.
As the other comments here reflect, your probation experience depends on your conditions, which can vary greatly from person to person.
Also let’s be careful about using this platform to publicly accuse other users of having violated the law. Especially when we don’t know that for a fact. A well-meaning person did that below, and I’m not sure it’s a good idea.
I think you’re replying to the wrong comment here. It seems more respondent to mine and jed’s comments below.
In any case, I don’t believe anyone accused anyone of violating any law. What was stated was that Ex911Medic might have violated the terms of his probation while they were on probation (sort of sounds like they are no longer). Nevertheless, it isn’t a violation of law, not the same, and he can’t be prosecuted for it no matter the case. If he were still on probation, it could theoretically be incriminating, but only if against his terms of probation. We don’t know his terms. Almost everyone has variances of some sort and POs that are free to interpret and enforce those rules as they see fit. It sounds like he had the most relaxed PO I’ve ever heard of, or it’s just made up entirely. Yes, it’s that far fetched based on my experience.
The FL state law does not prohibit persons required to register from going to all places that children congregate, no. But the standard terms of probation do. Since that’s the boilerplate, most FL subjects of supervision have this blanket and vague requirement of not being anywhere children congregate. What are those places? Who knows. It’s open to wide interpretation. Children can congregate anywhere, and this is sort of the problem. Can you go to the grocery store? Depends on who you ask. Sounds laughable, but it could be argued reasonably (sadly).