for Teachers for Schools for Enterprise
for Teachers for Schools for Enterprise
Course Navigator
What Is Parole? - Definition, Violations & HistoryNext Lesson 

What Is House Arrest? - Definitions, Laws & Rules

Chapter 12 /  Lesson 25
Start Your Free Trial Today
Instructor: Jessica Schubert

Jessica is a practicing attorney and has taught law and has a J.D. and LL.M.

This lesson will teach you what constitutes house arrest. You will review the definition of house arrest, study the laws of house arrest and then examine some typical house arrest rules.

Definition

What do Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton have in common? Well, aside from their early 2000s celebrity status and colorful arrest records, both have served house arrest while waiting for their trials to start.

House arrest is an alternative penalty to prison. Under house arrest, one must serve their sentence being confined to their home. House arrest, also referred to as 'electronic monitoring,' is done by the use of an electronic monitoring device that is placed directly on the offender. The device is typically placed on the ankle and cannot easily be removed. It sends GPS signals which are monitored at all times. If the offender fails to stay in the home or does not adhere to the terms of the house arrest, they will be in violation of the house arrest; as a result, the offender may be sent to prison to serve the rest of their term.

Laws

Every state has different laws regarding the use of house arrest. Usually, house arrest is used for juvenile offenders or repeat offenders. House arrest may also be used when there is overcrowding in prisons and there is a need to relieve the strain this puts on the prison system. However, house arrest is never utilized for serious crimes, such as murder or rape.

Most states require that when one is under house arrest, a probation officer oversees the house arrest term. A probation officer is a person who supervises inmates and ensures that they are following the rules of their incarceration. Thus, when one is under house arrest, the probation officer will make sure the offender is adhering to the house arrest terms and staying inside the house.

In addition, the laws of most states require that the offender stay within the house for the entire term of their sentence. There may be exceptions where the offender may be allowed to leave the confines of the house. For instance, the offender may need to attend court or go to a doctor's appointment.

To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account

Register for a free trial

Are you a student or a teacher?

Unlock Your Education

See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com

Become a Study.com member and start learning now.
Become a Member  Back
What teachers are saying about Study.com
Free 5-day trial
Description

Earning College Credit

Did you know… We have over 160 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level.

To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page

Transferring credit to the school of your choice

Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Study.com has thousands of articles about every imaginable degree, area of study and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you.

Research Schools, Degrees & Careers

Get the unbiased info you need to find the right school.

Browse Articles By Category

Browse an area of study or degree level.

Recommended Articles
You are viewing lesson Lesson 25 in chapter 12 of the course:

 Back To Course

Intro to Criminal Justice: Help and Review

14 chapters | 533 lessons

Ch 12. The Sentencing Process in Criminal Justice:...
Ch 13. Corrections & Correctional...

What Is House Arrest? - Definitions, Laws & Rules Related Study Materials

Create an account to start this course today
Try it free for 5 days!
Create An Account

Explore our library of over 70,000 lessons

Browse by subject
Support