Can You Have Visitors On House Arrest? (How To Avoid Jail Time)

Can You Have Visitors On House Arrest - How Does House Arrest Work - What Is House Arrest

Can you have visitors on house arrest?

In this article, you’ll learn about:

  • how house arrest works
  • whether you can have visitors
  • which visitors are approved
  • how to get visitors approved
  • what happens if you have unapproved visitors

Let’s dig in.

Table of Contents

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House Arrest Violation Statistics

  • 254,000 people were on house arrest sentences last year
  • 8.2% of people get sent to prison for violating house arrest sentences
  • 17% of people have probation revoked for violating the terms of their house arrest
  • the average length of house arrest supervision is 6.2 months
  • 20.3% of all house arrest violations are for leaving the residence without permission
  • 14.3% of all house arrest violations are for failing to report to a supervisor
  • 77.1% of males are likely to violate their house arrest sentence
  • 22.9% of females are likely to violate their house arrest sentence
  • the average age of individuals violating their house arrest supervision is 32

What Is House Arrest?

House arrest is punishment in the form of home confinement.

During this home detention, the judge will approve you to leave the house for:

  • work
  • school
  • doctors appointments
  • other activities deemed appropriate by the court

To make sure you remain home, criminal offenders get tracked by electronic monitoring.

This includes:

  • GPS monitoring
  • ankle monitors

House arrest is a form of alternative sentencing, usually for minor offenses.

You can get house arrest ordered for nonviolent criminal charges, like:

You may get house arrest instead of spending time in:

  • county jail
  • state prison

It’s a form of punishment that’s an alternative sentence to spending time in jail or prison.

This allows the person to:

  • maintain employment
  • maintain family relationships

The federal system doesn’t allow those with a violent crime to go on house arrest.

It’s dedicated to nonviolent offenders with less serious crimes (for public safety).

It gives them the opportunity to:

  • have more freedom
  • get additional guidance

Ways that criminal offenders on house arrest get monitored are:

  • an electronic monitoring device (i.e., an ankle bracelet)
  • GPS monitoring via a tracking device or electronic monitoring system
  • smartphone and landline phone check-ins
  • video or audio monitoring
  • home visits by law enforcement
  • regular check-ins with probation officers
  • random drug and alcohol testing

How Does House Arrest Work?

House arrest is a form of punishment that is available to the court.

And it is an alternative to jail time or a prison sentence.

It is a sentence where the offender gets confined to their house for a certain period of time.

This is usually during nights and weekends.

The offender is still obligated to follow the terms of their sentence, such as:

  • not leaving the house without permission
  • must wear an ankle monitor to track their movements.

During the house arrest, the offender is allowed to go to:

  • work
  • school
  • attend religious services
  • medical appointments
  • a medical emergency
  • other court-approved activities (i.e., community service)

The offender is still responsible for meeting the terms of their sentence.

And they are subject to monitoring and random home visits from a:

The person on a house arrest sentence can also get:

  • random drug testing
  • random alcohol monitoring

If the offender violates the conditions of the house arrest, they can get sent to jail.

Can You Have Visitors On House Arrest?

Yes, you can have visitors on house arrest.

Generally speaking, this is subject to the specific regulations of a supervising officer.

Visits are typically restricted to immediate family members.

However, they may require additional approval.

The person on house arrest may also be subject to supervised visits.

This means that someone else must be present during the visit.

Each house arrest situation is unique.

So it is important to check with the court or probation officer.

They will tell you if you can have visitors on house arrest.

Typically, family members are not restricted from visiting you on house arrest.

Depending on the court or agency, friends and others may also be allowed to visit.

But this is subject to approval and may require additional paperwork.

You always need to ask:

  • if you can have visitors on house arrest
  • who can visit you on house arrest

Having unapproved visitors on house arrest is a violation of your sentencing.

What Happens If You're Caught With An Unapproved Visitor On House Arrest?

Let’s say you get caught with an unapproved visitor while on house arrest.

The consequences can be serious.

You may get charged with a violation of the terms of your sentence.

This can result in:

  • additional fines
  • extended house arrest
  • jail time

You could have to pay restitution to the court for the costs associated with your violation.

You may be subject to a probation or parole violation.

This could result in further penalties.

It is important to always abide by the rules of your house arrest.

And you should only allow approved visitors to enter your home.

What Are Visiting Restrictions On House Arrest?

Visiting restrictions on house arrest help protect the person who is on house arrest.

Visiting restrictions may include:

  • a list of approved visitors
  • a limit on the number of visitors
  • set times for visits

It is important to note that house arrest is not the same as incarceration.

Visitors may be allowed:

  • to stay overnight
  • visit for extended periods of time

Visitors may be subject to searches and bag checks.

This ensures that no contraband gets brought into the house.

All visitors must get approved by the supervising authority before arrival.

And they have to abide by any other rules set forth.

Restrictions By The Court

The court will place restrictions on you with regard to having visitors on house arrest.

You will have to let the court know in advance:

  • when you plan to have visitors
  • who they are
  • why they are visiting

Depending on the severity of the crime, the court may also place restrictions on:

  • the number of visitors you can have
  • the amount of time they can stay

In cases of serious crimes, visitors may be completely restricted.

It is important to follow the court’s orders and restrictions with your visitors.

Not following them can lead to serious consequences.

Restrictions By Your Probation Or Parole Officer

Your probation or parole officer may impose restrictions on visitors to your home.

These restrictions can include:

  • the number of visitors you are allowed to have
  • the length of time they can stay
  • the days and times in which visitors are allowed

You also need to have all visitors get approved by them.

These restrictions are in place to:

  • ensure that you are following the rules of your house arrest
  • to protect you from any potential violations

How To Get Visitors Approved To Visit On House Arrest

Let’s talk about how to get approved so that you can have visitors on house arrest.

The steps to get approval are:

  1. contact your probation officer and make the request
  2. have the visitors complete background checks
  3. notify your probation officer in advance each time they want to visit
  4. do not let them bring any contraband or illegal substances
  5. follow the guidelines set by your probation officer

Your probation officer will likely make the visitor:

  • complete a background check
  • sign an acknowledgment of the rules and regulations
  • adhere to certain rules (i.e., not bringing contraband, illegal substances, or guns)

Risks Of Having Visitors On House Arrest

Having visitors while on house arrest carries several risks.

Let’s say that visitors are not approved by the court or probation officer.

They could get arrested for aiding and abetting a criminal.

The courts could claim your visitor is helping you break the court orders.

Visitors may bring contraband into the home.

This would result in possible parole or probation violations.

Visitors may cause the person on house arrest to violate the rules of their sentence.

This could be by leaving the house or participating in activities not approved by the court.

You should get permission from your probation officer to have visitors while on house arrest.

You will have to submit a written request to the court or probation officer to have visitors.

You must include their:

  • name
  • address
  • purpose

The court or probation officer will then review the request.

Then they will decide whether the proposed visitors may enter the home.

What Happens If You Have Unapproved Visitors On House Arrest?

Let’s say that someone on house arrest has visitors that were not approved by:

  • their parole officer
  • their probation officer
  • the courts

(Or that the visitor was not previously disclosed.)

It is a violation of their parole or probation.

The person on house arrest can be subject to a variety of punishments including:

  • fines
  • extra restrictions
  • jail time

It is the responsibility of the person on house arrest to make sure all visitors get approved.

FAQs About Having Visitors On House Arrest

These are the most frequently asked questions we get from our clients on house arrest. 

Can You Have Friends Over On House Arrest?

No, you cannot have friends over on house arrest.

You need to check with your supervising officer to see if you can have friends over.

They will need to approve them before coming to your residence.

Can You Go In Your Yard On House Arrest?

Yes, you can go in your yard on house arrest.

You cannot leave your house or your yard.

You have to stay within a certain boundary.

(They know when a person leaves this boundary.)

Read the specific terms of your house arrest to understand these other restrictions.

What Happens If You Violate House Arrest?

If you violate house arrest, you can get charged with a crime.

Depending on the severity of the violation, you can get charged with either:

  • a misdemeanor
  • a felony

Penalties for violating house arrest may include:

  • jail time
  • fines
  • a longer period of house arrest

If you get convicted of a felony, you may also lose certain civil rights, such as:

Additionally, you may be required to:

  • complete an alcohol or drug treatment program
  • attend counseling
  • perform community service

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This means you don’t wrongfully get charged and sent to jail for having visitors on house arrest.

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