Monitoring sentence

Before your court hearing, you will be invited to a probation office to discuss, whether you could serve a monitoring sentence. An official of the Prison and Probation Service assesses, among other things, your risk to commit a new offence and your need for some rehabilitation or treatment, which could be included in the monitoring sentence.

Based on the meeting and other information gathered by the probation office, the official draws up a pre-sentence report on you and sends it to the prosecutor and the judge for your court hearing. The official also sends your written consent that a possible unconditional prison sentence may be imposed as a monitoring sentence. You cannot be sentenced to a monitoring sentence without your written consent.

The suitability of your place of residence for serving the sentence is checked beforehand. In addition, the Prison and Probation Service needs the consent of the adults and the opinion of the underage children living in the same residence with you before you can start serving the sentence.

When you serve a monitoring sentence, your matters are handled by a supervisor working in the probation office of your municipality of residence. You get an individual sentence plan and weekly schedule, which you must follow precisely. A monitoring sentence consists of supervision appointments and weekly activities, such as studying, work or rehabilitation. You must stay home at night. You are required to abstain from using intoxicating substances during the sentence term. Your sobriety is controlled by using breath tests and drug tests.

Officials of the Prison and Probation Service visit your home randomly during the monitoring sentence. The officials who carry out the control visits wear civilian clothes.

Conditions of monitoring sentence

You must draw up the sentence plan together with your supervisor. You must follow the conditions and agreements of your sentence plan and be in contact with your supervisor as agreed. Following the weekly schedule and staying in your place of residence according to the schedule are particularly important.

If an impediment prevents you from following the weekly schedule, you must contact your supervisor immediately. You must present a medical certificate for your absence on demand.

You must give your supervisor your contact information and other necessary information and tell your supervisor if the information changes.

You are not allowed to use of alcohol or other intoxicating substances during the monitoring sentence. Your sobriety is controlled by breath tests and drug tests.

You are obliged to handle your ankle tag and the monitoring device installed in your home with care and follow the instructions how to use them. You must allow an official of the Prison and Probation Service to visit your place of residence.

If you breach your obligations, you may be issued a caution or a warning. If you seriously or repeatedly breach your obligations, your monitoring sentence may be converted into imprisonment.