House arrest is a form of detention in which a person is confined to their residence for a specified period of time, typically as a result of a criminal conviction. The use of house arrest is governed by various state and federal laws, including the Bail Reform Act of 1984 and the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984.
The concept of house arrests were looked at in United States v. Gementera, 379 F.3d 596 (9th Cir. 2004), which dealt with the question of whether a defendant's constitutional rights were violated when he was placed on house arrest as a condition of his release.
The idea of house arrest is to hold individuals accountable for their actions, while also allowing them to maintain some level of freedom and independence. It is an important tool for the criminal justice system, and is subject to various regulations aimed at ensuring that it is used fairly and effectively.
[Last updated in February of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]