Art. 900. Violation hearing; sanctions

A. After an arrest pursuant to Article 899, the court shall cause a defendant who continues to be held in custody to be brought before it within thirty days for a hearing. If a summons is issued pursuant to Article 899, or if the defendant has been admitted to bail, the court shall set the matter for a violation hearing within a reasonable time. The hearing may be informal or summary. The defendant may choose, with the court's consent, to appear at the violation hearing and stipulate the revocation by simultaneous audio-visual transmission in accordance with the provisions of Article 562. If the court decides that the defendant has violated, or was about to violate, a condition of his probation it may:

(1) Reprimand and warn the defendant.

(2) Order that supervision be intensified.

(3) Add additional conditions to the probation.

(4) Order the defendant, as an additional condition of probation, to be committed to a community rehabilitation center operated by, or under contract with, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections for a period of time not to exceed six months, without benefit of parole or good time, if:

(a) There is bed space available.

(b) The offender has been sentenced to the department, and the sentence has been suspended pursuant to Article 893.

(c) Such commitment does not extend the period of probation beyond the maximum period of probation provided by law.

(d) The violation of probation did not involve the commission of another felony.

(e) The placement in a community rehabilitation center is recommended by the division of probation and parole.

(5) Order that the probation be revoked. In the event of revocation the defendant shall serve the sentence suspended, with or without credit for the time served on probation at the discretion of the court. If the imposition of sentence was suspended, the defendant shall serve the sentence imposed by the court at the revocation hearing.

(6)(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (5) of this Paragraph, any defendant who has been placed on probation by the drug division probation program pursuant to R.S. 13:5304, and who has had his probation revoked under the provisions of this Article for a technical violation of drug division probation as determined by the court, may be ordered to be committed to the custody of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and be required to serve a sentence of not more than twelve months without diminution of sentence in the intensive incarceration program pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 15:574.4.4. Upon successful completion of the program, the defendant shall return to active, supervised probation with the drug division probation program for a period of time as ordered by the court, subject to any additional conditions imposed by the court and under the same provisions of law under which the defendant was originally sentenced. If an offender is denied entry into the intensive incarceration program for physical or mental health reasons or for failure to meet the department's suitability criteria, the department shall notify the sentencing court for resentencing in accordance with the provisions of Article 881.1.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (5) of this Paragraph, any defendant who has been placed on probation by the court for the conviction of an offense other than a crime of violence as defined in R.S. 14:2(B) or of a sex offense as defined by R.S. 15:541, and who has been determined by the court to have committed a technical violation of his probation, shall be required to serve, without diminution of sentence, as follows:

(i) For a first technical violation, not more than fifteen days.

(ii) For a second technical violation, not more than thirty days.

(iii) For a third or subsequent technical violation, not more than forty-five days.

(iv) For a fourth or subsequent violation, the court may order that the probation be revoked, in accordance with Subparagraph (5) of this Paragraph.

(v) For custodial substance abuse treatment programs, not more than ninety days.

(c) The defendant shall be given credit for time served prior to the revocation hearing for time served in actual custody while being held for a technical violation in a local detention facility, state institution, or out-of-state institution pursuant to Article 880. The term of the revocation for a technical violation shall begin on the date the court orders the revocation. Upon completion of the imposed sentence for the technical revocation, the defendant shall return to active and supervised probation for a period equal to the remainder of the original period of probation subject to any additional conditions imposed by the court.

(d) A "technical violation", as used in this Paragraph, means any violation except it shall not include any of the following:

(i) An allegation of a criminal act that is subsequently proven to be a felony.

(ii) An allegation of a criminal act that is subsequently proven to be an intentional misdemeanor directly affecting the person.

(iii) An allegation of a criminal act that is subsequently proven to be a violation of a protective order, pursuant to R.S. 14:79, issued against the offender to protect a family member or household member as defined by R.S. 14:35.3, or dating partner as defined by R.S. 46:2151.

(iv) Being in possession of a firearm or other prohibited weapon.

(v) Absconding from the jurisdiction of the court.

(7) Extend the period of probation, provided the total amount of time served by the defendant on probation for any one offense shall not exceed the maximum period of probation provided by law.

B. When a defendant has been committed to a community rehabilitation center pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(4) of this Article, upon written request of the department that an offender be removed for violating the rules or regulations of the community rehabilitation center, the court shall cause the defendant to be brought before it and order that probation be revoked with credit for the time served in the community rehabilitation center.

C. The department may pay a per diem for offenders placed in a community rehabilitation center pursuant to the provisions of Subparagraph (A)(4) of this Article.

D. When a court considers the revocation of probation, the court shall consider aggravating and mitigating circumstances in the case, including but not limited to the circumstances stated in Article 894.1. If the court revokes the probation of the defendant, the court shall issue oral or written reasons for revocation which shall be entered into the record. The oral or written reasons for revocation shall state the allegations made by the probation officer concerning a violation or threatened violation of the conditions of probation, the findings of the court concerning those allegations, the factual basis or bases for those findings, and the aggravating circumstances, or mitigating circumstances, or both, considered by the court.

Amended by Acts 1979, No. 90, §1; Acts 1991, No. 96, §1; Acts 1995, No. 335, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1323, §1; Acts 2006, No. 113, §1; Acts 2007, No. 402, §1; Acts 2009, No. 182, §1; Acts 2010, No. 352, §1; Acts 2011, No. 33, §1; Acts 2014, No. 271, §1; Acts 2014, No. 633, §1; Acts 2016, No. 213, §1; Acts 2017, No. 280, §1, eff. November 1, 2017; Acts 2017, No. 406, §1; Acts 2018, No. 668, §2.