What is Community Control in Florida? An Orlando Attorney Explains “Home Confinement”

By: John Guidry II

I want to talk to you about Community Control, Florida’s toughest supervision program. It is not easy, and I’m never happy to recommend it, but it is often the last step before a prison sentence. We used to call it “home confinement,” and that’s exactly what it is.

When you are on community control, you are confined to your home unless you have pre-approved permission to be somewhere else. Each week, you must submit a detailed schedule to your community control officer for their approval.

Facing a Sentence of Community Control in Orlando? This program could save you some prison time, or turn out to be a trap designed for failure. Call my office to discuss your defense and the strategies needed to navigate this strict sentence successfully. Call John Guidry: (407) 423-1117

How Community Control Works

Your officer will almost always approve a schedule that includes:

• Work
• School
• Church
• Medical Appointments

If you say you will be at work from 9 to 5, you better be there. Officers will do spot checks at your job, and they may be waiting on your doorstep at 5:01 PM to make sure you’re home on time. Being late because of Orlando’s I-4 traffic is not an excuse they will accept; you could be in handcuffs by 5:30 PM for a violation. They do not care. Florida law is murky on what sort of lateness is worthy of a violation, versus just a warning, so its better to be safe than sorry.

The Two Levels of Community Control

Level 1 is the standard home confinement I’ve just described. Level 2 is the same thing, but with the addition of a GPS ankle monitor. Be warned: the government’s GPS technology is notoriously unreliable. It constantly loses signal, forcing you to go outside to reconnect, and it can become a violation nightmare.

A Stern Warning: The “Early DOC Entry Program”

The success rate on community control is horrendous. Over 85% of people placed on this program fail and end up being violated and sent to prison. Some statistics have the success rate as low as 11%.

Community control is so difficult that one judge here in Orange County used to call community control the “Early DOC Entry Program,” because that’s what it is for most people: a delayed ticket to the Department of Corrections.

The Path to Relief: Converting to Regular Probation

If you must accept this sentence, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The law knows how tough this program is, so the maximum sentence is two years. The key to success is to be perfect for the first half of your term.

At the halfway point, an attorney can file a motion asking the judge to terminate the community control and convert the remainder of your sentence to standard, less-restrictive probation. This is your primary goal. If you get a two-year sentence, we aim to get you off home confinement after one year.

As an attorney who has been helping clients navigate the criminal justice system in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Brevard, and Volusia County since 1993, I’ve seen exactly how people violate this program. We can counsel you on how to stay the path and reach that halfway point, which is your best chance at freedom. If you’re facing this sentence, call my office.how tough this is. So, if you get two years you might get a year of it, like half it, converted to probation if you’re good for the first year.

About John Guidry II

John Guidry II is a seasoned criminal defense attorney and founder of the Law Firm of John P. Guidry II, P.A., located in downtown Orlando next to the Orange County Courthouse, where he has practiced for over 30 years. With more than three decades of experience defending clients throughout Central Florida since 1993, Guidry has successfully defended thousands of cases in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, and Volusia counties. He has built a reputation for his strategic approach to criminal defense, focusing on pretrial motions and case dismissals rather than jury trials.

Guidry earned both his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from St. Louis University in 1993. He is a member of the Florida Bar and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. His practice encompasses the full spectrum of Florida state criminal charges, with a particular emphasis on achieving favorable outcomes through thorough pretrial preparation and motion practice.

Beyond the courtroom, Guidry is a prolific legal educator who has authored over 400 articles on criminal defense topics. He shares his legal expertise through his popular YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok accounts, where he has built a substantial following of people eager to learn about the law. His educational content breaks down complex legal concepts into accessible information for the general public.

When not practicing law, Guidry enjoys tennis and pickleball, and loves to travel. Drawing from his background as a former recording studio owner and music video producer in the Orlando area, he brings a creative perspective to his legal practice and continues to apply his passion for video production to his educational content.