Community Supervision Corrections: Frequently Asked Questions

Community Supervision is an alternative to incarceration that permits offenders to live and work in the community, support their families, receive rehabilitative services and make restitution to the victims of their crimes. The single most used criminal punishment in the U.S. today, Community Supervision is a judicial function governed by the courts that sentence defendants.

When carefully administered and applied only to those who can safely be monitored in the community, it can provide rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society, ultimately helping to reduce crime. The Department of Community Supervision and Corrections provides public safety through treatment, planning and prevention. Collin County supervision officers have dual responsibilities of public safety and rehabilitation. Their ultimate goal is to stop the cycle of crime and prevent offenders from becoming serious and violent criminals.

The unprecedented growth in the nation's prison population has placed a heavy economic burden on taxpayers in terms of the cost to build, maintain and operate prisons. According to the United States Justice Department, over 2 million Americans are behind bars. This represents nearly six times as many inmates as we had in 1970. Society must incarcerate those serious and violent offenders who endanger the community. For many nonviolent offenders, however, Community Supervision is an alternative which both protects society and allows clients the opportunity of rehabilitation.

Offenders report immediately to Community Supervision Officers after judges sentence them to Community Supervision. Officers then interview them, explain the Conditions of Supervision (agreed upon in Court and signed by offenders), and assign them to field offices, usually determined by residence and risk levels posed to the community. Offenders then have a limited number of days to report to their field offices, where they are assigned to Community Supervision Officers (CSO's). If they fail to report as instructed, warrants are issued.

Persons needing information on offenders under Community Supervision may contact the CSO links in the county-directory or call the main number at any of the CSCD offices: (972) 548-4237 or (972) 548-3660 (Bloomdale Courthouse, McKinney); (972) 547-5790 (Community Corrections Facility, McKinney); or (972) 881-3030 (Plano). Victims of certain crimes may request notification of community supervision violation hearings or of other court cases relating to their victimization.

Call 911.

Call 911.

Again, if anyone is in immediate danger, citizens should call 911. If not, citizens should report these situations to the appropriate CSO's, who will investigate and determine violations. If the activity continues, it should be reported to the police for criminal investigation.

The CSCD accepts payments in the form of money order, cashier’s check, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover).

All fees may be paid by mail or in person at the respective reporting offices. Offenders must pay by cashiers’ checks or money orders payable to Collin County CSCD. We do not accept cash or personal checks. Names must be printed clearly on these documents to ensure credit to proper accounts

Generally, yes. Offenders who reside in other counties or states upon receiving supervision may request that their supervision be transferred. However, transfers are subject to approval of the receiving counties or states, depending on a number of different criteria. Defendants who are allowed to transfer are required to follow the local rules of supervision as well as those of Collin County.

Offenders bear the responsibility of contacting their Supervision Officers as soon as they know they can’t keep their scheduled appointments. Rescheduling is left to officer discretion, depending on individual circumstances.

Unless prohibited by court-ordered conditions, in most cases, permission to travel may be granted by Supervision Officers on a case-by-case basis. Offenders may be asked to correct fee or behavior delinquencies, adhere to certain restrictions and/or provide itinerary and contact information prior to consideration of travel privileges.

Frequency of reporting is determined by such factors as caseload assignment, risk to the community, individual needs and casework issues being addressed. Those on regular supervision are usually required to report one time per month. Depending on casework issues, offenders may be required to report two or three times a month and in rare instances, weekly or daily.

In a comprehensive study of sex offenders, Dr. David Thornton found that 52% of high risk sex offenders and 10% of low risk sex offenders recidivated within 15 years of their arrests. One of the important challenges facing sex offender researchers today is the development of the most effective instruments for sex offender risk assessment.

Citizens may contact their local law enforcement agencies to get sex offender registration information. Processing fees may be required.

The most comprehensive studies show that strong behavior modification programs, such as those provided by registered sex offender therapists, reduce recidivism. They also note that traditional "therapies" show little effect on recidivism.

Texas law requires that anyone who suspects child abuse notify appropriate law enforcement agencies or Child Protective Services. If abuse is never reported, suspected abusers may always remain in the 84% of offenders who are never reported to police, and thus allowed to continue creating more victims.

As part of sex offender treatment, offenders learn how to control their sexual thoughts and behavior. For many, they also learn that sexual preoccupation is a part of their offense cycle. The use of pornography reinforces sexual preoccupation, and some legal pornography can still be used to fuel offenders' sexual fantasies of children.

Citizens may contact the Child Pornography Tip line operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1 (800) 843-5678. Additionally, they may access the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website to report possession of pornography or exploitation of children.

In some cases judges elect to "defer" convictions. In these cases successful completion of community supervision negates the appearance of convictions on offenders' criminal histories. Records of arrests and community supervisions in these instances, however, are never expunged or erased. In most cases, sex offenders must continue to register as sex offenders long after completion of deferred supervision.