| Many people are sentenced to jail – however, a | | | | prosecutor and judge to perform duties to assist |
| great number of these people never step one foot | | | | various organizations within the community (in lieu of |
| into a jail cell. There are laws that allow for | | | | jail time). 8 hours of community service basically |
| defendants to complete their jail time in alternative | | | | converts to 1 hour of jail time. This is an excellent |
| programs. Criminal defense attorneys, by necessity, | | | | alternative, as some defendants believe that their |
| have to become experts in finding alternatives to | | | | community service work is much more needed and |
| incarceration. Many defense clients are business | | | | worthwhile to the community, rather than simply |
| people and / or have families and other serious | | | | sitting behind bars in jail. |
| commitments, and cannot afford to be taken into | | | | 4. Private Jail / Work Furlough In some instances, |
| custody. Our office works hard to explore and use | | | | where the judge requires that you serve actual jail |
| every possible alternative for them, thus often | | | | time, many people choose to serve their sentence in |
| avoiding actual jail time. The following are a list of | | | | a private jail facility. This alternative can be |
| alternatives to being incarcerated or taken into | | | | somewhat costly, however, in a private jail, there are |
| custody. | | | | many instances where you can get work furlough |
| 1. Home Electronic ConfinementHome electronic | | | | privileges. Work furlough privileges means that during |
| confinement can be arranged by either the probation | | | | the day you are allowed to go out and work at your |
| department or a private company. This type of | | | | regular job and after work, you are required to |
| sentencing requires a person to remain at home, but | | | | spend the remainder of the evening back in the |
| at the same time, allows you to continue the | | | | private jail. While you do remain incarcerated, this |
| activities which are necessary to your well-being and | | | | option does allow you to still keep your job. |
| existence (such as attending work, school, Dr. | | | | 5. Sober Living ProgramsSome clients that are |
| appointments, attorney, court or DMV appearances, | | | | convicted and sentenced to jail time as a result of a |
| shop for necessities, care for your children and / or | | | | drug or alcohol related charge want to be productive |
| provide necessary care for a loved one who may be | | | | in the time that they spend while incarcerated. |
| ill or otherwise unable to care for themselves). There | | | | County jail does not afford very many programs that |
| is usually a nominal cost that is associated with the | | | | assist individuals in becoming sober or help with a |
| program. | | | | drug related problem. As an alternative, drug and |
| 2. CalTrans WorkMany people who are sentenced to | | | | alcohol rehabilitation program can also give credit for |
| jail time, end up doing CalTrans work. CalTrans is a | | | | jail time, without actually doing any jail. |
| work crew that you may see when you are driving | | | | These programs are allowed by law to credit, day |
| down the freeways of California. They are a group | | | | for day for time spent in the program. The individual |
| of people (usually dressed in orange vests) who are | | | | in this program is required to spend their evenings |
| appointed through the courts to keep the freeway | | | | and stay in the program, which does include regular |
| areas clear and clean of trash and other debris. They | | | | drug and alcohol testing as well as other types of |
| are also involved in various other state improvement | | | | monitoring to ensure you are in fact complying with |
| projects, as ordered by the program. You receive | | | | the program requirements. However, in some |
| credit for your work on the crew to satisfy your jail | | | | programs, you are allowed to go out and work during |
| time commitment. | | | | the day at your regular job as a part of your |
| 3. Community Service Work Each court has a | | | | rehabilitation, providing of course, that you remain in |
| separate office responsible for assigning community | | | | and comply with the program’s requirements. |
| service work to individuals who are approved by the | | | | |