Intensive probation is the highest level of supervision. You have been placed at this level because the Judge feels you are at a high risk of re-offending. You will have frequent scheduled meetings with your probation officer. You will have standard conditions of probation and most likely you will have specific conditions assigned by the Judge that are relevant to the offense for which you have been convicted. You may be subjected to alcohol and/or drug testing and unannounced visits to your home by your probation officer.

Reporting probation is a medium level of supervision. You will have regular scheduled meetings with your probation officer. You will have the standard and possibly special conditions of probation to which the Judge will sentence you. You may be subjected to alcohol and/or drug testing and unannounced visits to your home by your probation officer.

Non-reporting probation is the lowest level of supervision. In most cases, you will only meet with the probation officer once, immediately after sentencing. You will not be required to attend regular probation meetings, but may have specific conditions imposed. An example of such condition is to get a valid driver's license, or perform a determined amount of community service. When your probation term is due to expire, the probation officer will determine whether you have any subsequent offenses. If there are no new offenses, and all conditions have been complied with, your probation will be terminated successfully.

When you meet with your probation officer, you will receive a notice for your next appointment. It is your responsibility to remember this appointment date and time and to show up on time for your next visit. Failure to do so may result in a probation violation being issued, which would result in another required court appearance.

At your probation meeting, the following may occur. You may be required to submit to a breathalyzer test, a urinalysis drug test, or both. Your probation officer will go over your conditions and make sure that you are on track to comply with the Judge's orders. The officer will give you a notice for your next appointment.

If your probation term is due to expire, and you have yet to complete all the conditions the Court has imposed on you, your probation will be extended. Usually, the Judge will extend the probation term for at least six months. Your probation will continue to be supervised through the extension period.

A violation of probation is the failure of the defendant to comply with the conditions the Judge has ordered. This can be as simple as not attending a probation meeting. The probation officer will file a probation violation notice. This will state the condition(s) that were violated and whether the officer is requesting a bench warrant be issued for your arrest. The Court will then set your case for a preliminary probation violating hearing. At that hearing you will be given a copy of the probation violation notice and be granted the opportunity to obtain counsel. The Court will then set your hearing for a Final Probation Violation Hearing.

At that hearing you will be asked whether you admit or deny the violation. If you admit the violation, the Judge will consider further sanctions against you. This may include additional community service, jail time or treatment programs. The Judge may decide to revoke your probation and you will be required to go to jail for the balance of your sentenced jail time. If you deny the violation, then a hearing will be held to determine if you are in fact guilty of the violation.

You may complete your service with a non-profit organization or with the Court's Litter Pickup Program. You may schedule with the Litter Pickup Program through your probation officer.

• Wright State: https://www.weekendinterventionprogram.org/
• Access Ohio: http://www.accessdui.com/
• Addictions Resource: http://www.arcdwi.com/
• Warren County Mental Health and Recovery Centers: http://www.mhrsonline.org/
• Talbert House: http://www.talberthouse.org/
• Community Behavioral Health: https://www.community-first.org/cbh
• Christian Accountability Network: http://www.thecanetwork.com/
• The Ohio Intervention Center: http://ohiointerventioncenter.com/

It is not appropriate to bring your child(ren) to Court or to a probation meeting. It makes it difficult for the probation officer to speak candidly and discuss your probation with you. If you fail a drug test, or already have a probation violation filed against you, you may be immediately arrested and taken to jail. If this was to happen and you had a child with you, the Probation Officer would then be forced to call Children's Services to take supervision of the child(ren).

Most of the time, the Judge will allow you to schedule your jail time through the probation department. Please recognize that many offenses require a certain jail term by law, and the Court has no discretion to waive that jail term. Some offenses have a provision for home arrest, and this is a subject which you should discuss with your attorney prior to plea/sentencing. For a list of what you can bring to jail and/or other jail related questions, please use this link for contact information: http://www.wcsooh.org/jail/inmate.htm

Warren County Court requires that the supervision of probationers be conducted by its own probation department. The only time the Court considers a transfer of supervision is when the defendant lives out of state. The probation supervision can then be transferred to the state level and the state of Ohio may approve the supervision of the probationer in a different state.

Probation is an opportunity for an individual to avoid incarceration. To assure that you will not be a threat to the community the probation department will monitor you through meetings, drug and/or alcohol testing, home visits, and court ordered programs or sanctions. These monitoring efforts come at a substantial cost to the Court and must be paid by those who get the opportunity for a probation term in lieu of jail time.