Cory has a lovely new piece of jewelry!

[DammitJanet]

Isnt he so darned lucky that the State of NC was kind enough to give him this lovely ankle bracelet? No one has ever given me such an expensive piece of jewelry...lol. Its such a nice black color that fits him perfectly! He even tried to see if it would slip off...lmao.

The PO did give him 4 hours a day out of the house to do some yard work or errands because he is taking care of his baby. PO seemed kinda impressed that he was doing that to be honest. I did slip out of the house and tell the man that I think he has done more good for instilling some fear of law and that Cory needs to obey the laws than anything else has ever done. I told him I wished he had been Corys PO when he was 14 because we might not be where we are today. He just smiled and said well he hopes this does turn him around. I told him I hoped so too because I had done all I could and this was it. I really see a change in Cory though. He knows what he is facing and doesnt want to go to prison. Problem is Cory is one of those that will skirt right to the edge.

I cant imagine what the next 60 days are going to be like with him stuck inside this house for 20 out of the 24 hours a day. I do feel for him but inside this house is better than inside a jail. But another good thing about being in good with the PO is that Cory is facing a 30 day active sentence at the end of this house arrest...the PO knows I am disabled and now that he knows Cory is taking care of Keyana full time I am going to see if I can talk the man into letting him do his active sentence on weekends so that he can be here during the week to care for her so that it is easier on me because I will have help on the weekends. I think he will do that if he sees Cory is trying to do good. The man does have some compassion and most of Corys sentencing is at the will of the probation officer.

I am also holding onto a card to play to allow Cory to go with us to see Jamie off for Iraq. He has to be allowed to leave the county but I am pretty sure I can get that approved if he is with us considering what it will be for.

 

[meowbunny]

I hate to say this but your post gave me a lot of red flags. He's already tried to see if the ankle bracelet will slip off? Not good! I hope this PO has put enough fear into Cory so that he really will follow the straight and narrow.

What about working? Is Cory off the hook on this one? I thought he had a pretty good job. What happened to it? Usually, work or looking for work is factored into house arrest. And, yes, you and he will go crazy with him being in the house 20 hours a day. I wish you luck!

Now I'm going to say something that will probably get you angry. He's on house arrest yet you're talking about not only getting him out of the house but out of the county. If he were in jail, there is no way they would release him to say good-bye to his brother. Why should he get this privilege because he's at home? More importantly, do you really want to give him the message that he should follow rules unless there's a good reason or it is unconvenient? I understand you would ask permission and if the PO said no, you'd abide by it, but the message would still be we're going to try to break the rule because this is important to this family.

I do understand your desire and even need for the two of them to see each other before Jamie goes overseas. I know I would be devastated if my brother had had to go to war and I couldn't say good-bye. However, Cory is being punished and house arrest really is a form of "doing the time."

Let's hope that Cory works the house arrest to his advantage so that when sentencing comes, the PO will recommend either reduced time or, as you want, weekend sentencing. It will make things a little easier for you and still let Cory know that he's not off the hook.

 

[DammitJanet]

Im not asking that he get off house arrest to go say good bye.

He will be off of house arrest the end of august. Jamie will leave in Feb but he will still be on either intensive probation or either just coming off it and on supervised probation. Either means he cant leave the county without permission. He can get that permission though because we have received it before when we have taken him up to VA.

He lost his job that he had before due to him not having a ride. I cant take him to where it was because it was about 40 miles away in another county. PO wasnt really happy with that job in the first place because it was in another county anyway plus the hours he was working. They are fine with him staying home watching Keyana.

 

[meowbunny]

Sorry for misunderstanding. I know it sounds mean, but I'm glad Cory's home with Keyana. Gives you a chance to get a little bit of a life and maybe even find a way to do something for yourself. You really do deserve to have some good. If nothing else, go to the library for an hour and just lose yourself in a good book. Right now, I'm pretty broke but have found a spot by a pond where I can just sit and watch. I've seen ducks, geese, fish and turtles. It has truly soothed me. I hope you find something for you.

For Cory, it sounds like a good plan for all concerned. Let's hope he doesn't try to get cute and remove his cute, new anklet.

 

[DammitJanet]

Personally I cant imagine anyone...difficult child or not, at least test the ankle bracelet to see if it would slip over their ankle. Just like if you had handcuffs on you jiggle them to see how loose they are.

He knows that if he leaves the alloted distance a call is made to the reporting agency. Supposedly it is just the parameters of my house but we all know that cant be exact because there would be no way to set it that way. Houses are all different sizes and they make them in so many feet from the boxes. I live in a fairly large house...at least a fairly long house...so I am figuring his is set at least to 150 feet. Maybe 100. My house is 80 feet long. But I think they go 100 feet, 150 and 300 and Cory said his was set at the max. So he may have 300 feet but he isnt testing that 300 feet...lol.

He does go outside and sit on the front stoop to watch Keyana play with her toys. She has to get some outside time in the afternoon too. The child needs to play. We have moved her toys up near the house. Also the grill is right outside the front door. There will be days he has to cook. If I had a deck I would put it up there but I dont have one. I think a deck would be considered part of the house.

Maybe this is wrong and taking advantage but oh well. If I need him to do something for me because Tony isnt home and Billy is working and it is just 5 feet from the front door, its gonna happen. While I have respect for the law, I dont have that much respect for them.

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

I totally believe that there has been a change in Cory. I can "hear" it in your "voice" as I read your words. And I also think that it is great that he will be caring for his baby girl.

 

[meowbunny]

I was always under the impression that the ankle bracelets were set so that you could go a certain amount from the house so that you could do things like play with your child, do yard work, get something from the car, etc. It would seem awfully wrong if they didn't. It might be worth calling the P.O. (with Cory's knowledge) and finding out exactly how far from the house he can go. Dads need to play with their kids. Yards need work. Moms need things from cars and sheds in the like.

I had a friend who was on an ankle. He was allowed to leave the house, not just the yard, so long as he called and got permission. He had to give an exact itinerary and time when he was returning. Obviously, he couldn't do "fun" things but he could go to the store, pick his son up from school, even go to school events in the evening.

I also have worked with several kids on the ankle bracelet. Most of the POs were a little less accommodating -- mainly to try to keep them from having any free time to be with bad influences. Some were actually kept strictly in the house. I know of one PO who actually measured the house and gave the kid 5 feet out the door.

Given that Cory is 21, has a child, is trying to be responsible, my guess would be that his PO will be somewhere in between these two, but I do think he would (or should) allow Cory to go outside.

I am with BBK, it really does sound like he is taking this seriously and is really trying to do better. I hope he succeeds. House arrest is not easy. I'm glad he has Keyana to keep him occupied and busy enough to not scheme of ways to get around the bracelet (and I still think you should take some of the time he is positively stuck there to do something for yourself).

 

[flutterbee]

I would have been testing the ankle bracelet, too. You just have to see how it fits.

Cory does seem to be taking this seriously. I hope they do let him serve his time on the weekend. I didn't realize that house arrest meant you couldn't go outside either. I always thought it was you had to stay on your property. Even in jail they get outside time, don't they. I think I would be wanting to know just exactly how far he can go just so as not to accidentally misstep.

 

[Hound dog]

I'm glad Cory has this PO.

And I also think this time the boy is really trying. He's not gonna be perfect from the get go, but at least he is trying, and that is a big step forward.

by the way, count me as another who would've tried to see if the ankle bracelet would come off. lol

 

[Nomad]

"The PO did give him 4 hours a day out of the house to do some yard work or errands because he is taking care of his baby," this seemed logical to me. I do think it is important that folks see logical meaning and/or consequences to behavior and actions (but of course not use the system in an unhealthy way). I do hope that he will understand the meaning behind this experience and make positive choices for himself and others in the future.

 

[meowbunny]

Now, I'm one who would not test the ankle bracelet. Not because I wouldn't be curious but because if I found that I could slip it off the temptation would be too great to take it off when I really wanted to do something. It would be one of those not worth the risk things to me.

 

[Suz]

I'm sure I'd test it but I'd be too chicken to do anything if I could slip it off. lol

I always figured the worst thing about house arrest wouldn't be on the guilty party but who they live with. Fingers crossed, Janet.

Suz

 

[WhymeMom?]

When my son was in an apartment with the ankle monitor he was told he couldn't go outside without calling first, even out on his own balcony......the other interesting thing that happened was when a big storm came thru and knocked out the power to his complex. Because the monitor calls in with the phone when there is no power for longer than 6 hours they come and take them to jail. Son was really sweating it because he thought he was going to jail and said it takes forever to get back out on ankle monitoring because its another court date.....interesting the process they have and I think they finally decided with him it was no use.......either lock him up and let him serve his time or else just forget to add probation/parole.....cause he just can't hack it......

 

[DammitJanet]

Ya know WMM...I wondered what would happen if we had a storm where we lost power because we live in hurricane alley. Now we rarely evacuate from our house but we do sometimes lose power but that phone wouldnt go off since its a land line...but I guess that box would go off since it is electrical. That is a problem. I dont think I will be telling Cory this...lol. We havent had a hurricane in a few years and when we do lose power it hasnt been for over 6 hours lately.

 

[Star*]

Shouldn't all jewelry from the State come with batteries?

Lots of OTHER things come with batteries......

 

[susiestar]

STAR!!! WHO let you out of the corner???????

Janet, I would have to test it, but would be so afraid that I would not go past where I was allowed. In high school my dad told me he checked in on me every night after I was asleep. So I snuck out the window. And stayed outside to see if he really DID come check. He didn't. But I still didn't sneak out to party because the ONE time I would have, he would have!

Anyway, it sounds like Cory is really stepping up to the Daddy plate. I hope he is helping with house stuff, and maybe that with time the PO will give him more time outside to play with keyana.

 

[DammitJanet]

He is so bored that he is working around the house...lol.

I have to laugh too. Tonite he had called to ask his dad to pick him up a pack of cigarettes and his dad left them out in the van. Cory just stared at him with this look of sheer hopelessness. His dad said...well go get them. Cory said with this sad little voice...but I cant! His dad said...oh hell...surely if you can go sit outside by the grill you can walk to the van!

Cory said...oh hell no! When I go sit outside by the grill to watch the baby I hug the house. If I go to the van I have to walk 15 feet out in the yard and Im not about to risk it because Sean (the PO) said if he gets even ONE report that I have messed up he is pulling my 8-12 and I LIKE my mornings thank you very much!

Then we were getting ready to take Keyana out to watch fireworks this evening and Cory had to stay home and eat all by himself and he looked mighty sad. Tony made a joking comment about how he could just cut the ankle bracelet off and Cory jumped back and said Hell No! Thats a $2000 fine and another charge ON ME!!!! No way in HELL!

My my my. Is he actually thinking things through for once?

 

[susiestar]

WOW! Can this Sean make housecalls to the rest of our difficult children? It sure sounds like Cory is thinking things through, weighing the consequences before he acts!!! I am so glad to hear it, and I pray it continues!!

Way To Go Cory!! (GO SEAN the PO!!)

susie