How to Enter the Pretrial Intervention Program or First Time Offender Program in Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County, Texas, has a reputation for being tough on those accused of crimes. That reputation may be well-earned, but a relatively new program for first-time offenders known as Pretrial Intervention may be an opportunity for those accused of crimes in Williamson County to escape the harsher punishment than often. they await repeat offenders.
The concept behind the Pretrial Intervention program in Williamson County is that many first-time offenders will not repeat their offense if handled correctly, especially if they are given the opportunity to obtain a dismissal of their charge as part of their treatment. Only first time offenders will be accepted. Any arrest for anything in any state will bar you from admission.
The program is set up so that first-time offenders are placed on a heavily modified form of probation. This probation lasts for six months (instead of the minimum year for normal probation) and requires them to perform a number of tasks and refrain from certain activities, as explained in more detail below.
The Pretrial Intervention program requires participants to be accepted. The acceptance process into the program has three main steps. The first is a written request. This app includes standard “get to know you” questions such as name, address, who lives with you, and contact numbers. He also asks for references, although these people are never called.
The only twist to the written request is the essay portion. There are two essay questions. The first asks for his version of the events that led to his arrest. What they really want to see is an admission of guilt. The easiest way to handle this section is to write a factual account of what happened. Put aside any emotion or anger towards the police or the court system, as this is counterproductive. Make sure your version of the crime closely matches the police officer’s report. Any large discrepancies will attract attention and appear to be an attempt on your part to hide or deny responsibility. The core of this program is the admission of guilt. If you are not clear in your essay that you are admitting your guilt, you will not go any further.
The second question in the essay asks you to write about your goals and dreams. What you really want to see here is how a conviction for whatever you are accused of will damage your future. Good examples of this are “I want to go to nursing school and a conviction will put me out” or “I will lose my job if convicted.”
The written request is submitted and reviewed by the County Attorney’s office. If your application is accepted, you move on to the next stage, the interview. At the interview, you will meet with a Probation Officer who specializes in the Pretrial Intervention program. At that time, you will submit any documents that demonstrate compliance with the initial requirements, such as clean drug tests or drug and alcohol evaluations. In this interview, it is incredibly important to be honest about your past and the incident that led to your arrest.
If you pass the interview, you will be accepted into the program. A meeting will be organized to sign the official admission contract. This contract states that you agree to enter the program and follow all requirements, and if you do, the State will dismiss the charges. If you do not meet the requirements, you agree to appear in court and plead guilty to the charge and accept a regular sentence of probation.
The pretrial intervention program requires you to perform a certain amount of community service through the Williamson County Probation Department. You will also be given classes to attend, for which you pay. The type and number of classes is established based on the type of charge. You are also required to report regularly by email to the probation officer, as well as request and receive permission to leave the state of Texas for any reason. Last but not least, at the signing of the contract, you will be asked to pay $ 360.00 by money order.