Conditional Sentence Orders (CSOs) in Calgary
What is a Conditional Sentence Order (CSO)?
For a broad overview of conditional sentence orders (“CSO”) in Canada, please see the general CSO FAQ page. For location-specific information on CSOs in Calgary, please read on.
A conditional sentence, commonly referred to as house arrest, is a jail sentence that a judge allows the offender to serve in the community.
Conditional Sentence Orders do not exceed 24 months and require the offender to stay at home at all times with limited exceptions depending on the circumstances.
As shown in a sample CSO document on the Alberta Courts website, an approved residence will be listed for the duration of the CSO. Moving to a different address requires written approval by an offender’s supervisor.
Exceptions to 24-hour house arrest
A person who is on house arrest may be permitted to leave their house for work and school. To learn more about common exceptions to 24-hour house arrests, please see the general CSO FAQ page.
Who is Eligible for a Conditional Sentence Order (CSO)?
CSO’s may not be granted in particular circumstances. For example, ss. 742.1(c) and (d) of the Criminal Code specify that offences of attempted murder, torture, advocating genocide, or terrorism/offences committed in association with a criminal organization charged as an indictable offence, are ineligible for a CSO.
For more information on eligibility and excluded offences, please see the general CSO FAQ page, or contact us to discuss the specifics of your case and learn how we can help you.
What’s Next?
Regardless of what stage you are at in your criminal proceedings, we are here to help. Contact us at Strategic Criminal Defence today so we can begin advocating for you.
