PO Asking for a key

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My husband is on parole, he is coming up on his 4th year. He got into trouble at 18 spent 5 years in jail and ever since he got out he has been doing what he has to do. He went to school and has a full time job. Apart from a couple of speeding tickets he never gets into trouble. We just moved into a new apartment and he was assigned a new po. His PO decided to stop by this morning at 5:30 and told him that we either have to keep our terrace door unlocked so he can get to out main door (which would mean it would have to stay unlocked all the time) or give him a key so he can get in. I do not feel safe with either one of these options, Can he really ask for us to do this?

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Type: Question • Score: 2 • Views: 1,436 • Replies: 23

@chinarican,

i'm no legal expert, but that doesn't sound completely legal to me

i'd question his superiors about this

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@chinarican,

Did your husband have a lawyer represent him? I'd suggest asking his lawyer.

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@Linkat,

He did but he didnt do his job sense he spend 5 years in jail and got 5 years on parole for a burglery he got cought doing. He didnt have any weapons either. So we really cant trust what that lawyer would say.

1 Reply

@chinarican,

I doubt the po can demand a key to your home, which is where your husband also lives.

You can't say his lawyer didn't do his job, though. The guy is caught doing a burglery and convicted. Jail time is the natural result.

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@roger,

Plus there are other lawyers you could speak with.

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@roger,

I know he was cought and convicted but he could have gotten less time had the lawyer done his job and showed up at court. But thats not the issue at hand.

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@roger,

I agree - it may not be the lawyer's fault. Maybe your husband could have served additional time if it wasn't for the lawyer. You agreed that your husband committed a crime - it should result in appropriate punishment. I am fortunate enough to not know what the appropriate punishment is for such a crime.

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@Linkat,

We are getting off topic here

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@chinarican,

Not really - it means you can go ahead and ask the lawyer. He isn't going to mislead you.

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@Linkat,

What I was trying to say but maybe it didnt come across right is that the lawyer never answered questions then, he never even showed up to court so I dont think he would be much help now. I am really greatfull for your help, its just frustrating that this is happening now. He has done nothing to deserve this treatment now. He has done everything right since. He did his time and was following the rules. There is no need for us, more me, to feel unsafe in our home.

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@chinarican,

I agree - it sounds odd to me, but I am not a legal expert. I would imagine there is some sort of free legal service in your area to help answer a question to a lawyer would be simple. I know in Mass, we have a service where you can call a call during certain days/times for what is for a lawyer, simple advice/question.

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@chinarican,

Oh and also, I did want to give kudos for your husband in serving his time and now getting a job and working this out positively.

1 Reply

@Linkat,

Thank you. Its nice to hear that. Too many people judge. He was a stupid 18 year old kid when he did what he did. They fail to notice how well he is doing now.

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@chinarican,

Sorry for leading us astray. Indeed, there are other lawyers, and you should be talking to one who is more responsive.

You might even talk to the district attorney. What I am getting at is that while I have no idea whether a parole officer can demand a key to a parolee's home, I am reasonably certain that he cannot legally demand a key to your home.

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@chinarican,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parole

Quote:

Before being granted the privilege of parole, the inmate meets with members of the parole board and is interviewed, The parolee also has a psychological exam. The inmate must first agree to abide by the conditions of parole set by the paroling authority. While in prison, the inmate signs a parole certificate or contract. On this contract are the conditions that the inmate must follow. These conditions usually require the parolee to meet regularly with his or her parole officer or community corrections agent, who assesses the behavior and adjustment of the parolee and determines whether the parolee is violating any of his or her terms of release (typically these include being at home during certain hours which is called a curfew, maintaining steady employment, not absconding, refraining from illicit drug use and sometimes, abstaining from alcohol), attend drug or alcohol counseling, have no contact with their victim. The inmate gives an address which is verified by parole officers as valid before inmate is released on to parole supervision. When release the parolee goes to a parole office and is assigned a parole officer. Parole officers go to parolees houses or apartments to check on them as unannounced visits. During these home visits officers look for signs of drug or alcohol use, no guns or illegal weapons are in the parolees residence, and look for signs of other illegal activities.

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

I take your point, but unannounced visit doesn't necessarily mean they are entitled to a key, nor have permission to enter the home of a person outside the parole agreement in their absence.

I'm seeing a situation open to abuse.

1 Reply

@roger,

I posted it more for her info. She should take a look at the contract that was supposedly signed by her husband and read the fine print to see if the issue is covered in it.

Also, she needs to find out if unannounced visits means access to the inside of the home beyond a locked gate or, as you say, in their absence.

If we knew where the jurisdiction was for the parole contract (and, if different, the residence) we could look up some of the details.

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

I suspect that the details are in this quote from the original post:

Quote:

His PO decided to stop by this morning at 5:30 and told him that we either have to keep our terrace door unlocked so he can get to out main door (which would mean it would have to stay unlocked all the time) or give him a key so he can get in.

His PO is asking for a key to the terrace door (or for it to remain unlocked), not their main apartment door. He's not asking for access to their apartment, only the apartment door. Having the locked terrace door could be interpreted as a violation of the PO's ability to conduct unannounced visits since having to have the gate unlocked by someone in the household, or make an appointment for the visit, would be considered an announced visit and give him time to hide anything that would violate the parole agreement.

1 Reply

I could not find anything via the conventional channels that suggests that
a PO can have a key. They can come for unannounced visits, sometimes in the
middle of the night, but everywhere I checked it suggested that the PO rings
the door bell.

If your husband's PO is concerned, perhaps a GPS device could help him
keeping track of your husband.

0 Replies

PO Asking for a key

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