Legal Definitions - street time

Street time refers to the period an individual spends outside of a correctional facility, such as a jail or prison, while they are under some form of legal supervision or awaiting the resolution of a legal matter. This often includes time spent on probation, parole, or released on bail before trial. A key aspect of "street time" is whether this period will be credited, or counted, towards a person's total sentence if they violate the terms of their release or are later convicted of a crime. Often, judges or parole boards have discretion in deciding whether to grant credit for "street time."

Here are some examples to illustrate:

• Probation Violation: Imagine Sarah is sentenced to three years of probation for a non-violent offense. She successfully completes two years of her probation, adhering to all conditions. However, in her third year, she commits a new crime, violating the terms of her probation. The two years she spent successfully on probation is considered street time. When the judge revokes her probation, they might decide that this street time will not count towards any new sentence or the original sentence she might now have to serve in prison. This means she effectively "loses" the credit for the time she spent outside of custody.

• Parole Revocation: John is released on parole after serving five years of a ten-year prison sentence. He spends 18 months living in the community under parole supervision. During this time, he fails a mandatory drug test, which is a violation of his parole conditions. The 18 months John spent on parole is his street time. When his parole is revoked, the parole board may decide that this street time will not be credited towards his original ten-year sentence, meaning he would return to prison and serve more of the remaining five years, without counting the 18 months he was out.

• Pre-Trial Release: Maria is arrested and charged with a crime. She is able to post bail and is released from jail while awaiting her trial. She spends four months out of custody before her case goes to trial, where she is ultimately convicted and sentenced to a prison term. The four months Maria spent out on bail is her street time. While any time she spent *in* jail awaiting trial would typically be credited towards her sentence, the street time she spent *outside* of custody on bail is generally not credited against her final prison sentence.