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 harsher punishments than often. await repeat offenders.
The concept behind the Williamson County Pretrial Intervention program is that many first-time offenders will not repeat their offense if handled correctly, especially if they are given the opportunity to get their charge dismissed as part of their deal. 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 highly modified form of probation. This probation lasts for six months (rather than the minimum year for normal probation) and requires you to perform a series of tasks and refrain from certain activities, as explained in more detail below.
The Pretrial Intervention program requires that participants be accepted. The process of acceptance into the program consists of three main steps. The first is a written request. This app includes standard “getting to know you” questions like name, address, who lives with you, and contact numbers. Also ask for references, although these people are never called.
The only twist to the written application 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 law enforcement or the court system, as this is counterproductive. Make sure your version of the crime closely matches the police officer’s report. Any large discrepancy will be conspicuous and appear to be an attempt on your part to hide or deny responsibility. The core of this program is the guilty plea. If you’re not clear in your essay that you’re admitting guilt to him, you won’t go any further.
The second essay question asks you to write about your goals and dreams. What they really want to see here is how a conviction for whatever it is you’re charged with will hurt your future. Good examples of this are “I want to go to nursing school and a conviction will keep me out” or “I will lose my job if I am convicted.”
The written request is submitted to 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, he will submit all documents showing 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 his past and the incident that led to his arrest.
If you pass the interview, you will be accepted into the program. A meeting will be scheduled to sign the official admission contract. This contract states that you agree to enter the program and follow all the 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 do a certain amount of community service through the Williamson County Probation Department. You will also be given classes to attend, which you will pay for. The type and number of classes is established based on the type of charge. Regularly reporting to the probation officer via email is also required, as is requesting and receiving permission to leave the state of Texas for any reason. Last but not least, at contract signing you will be asked to pay $360.00 per money order.