Reviewed on: April 16,2026

Does Turning Yourself In as Absconder Reduce Your Sentence?

My boyfriend was on post release in N. Carolina he was given 9mo. he had 4mo. left when he mad a poor decision to come be with me early n left the state without permission. I told him that was a poor choice and needed to make it right so he wouldn't be looking over his shoulder here in texas. he contacted his p.o. n made arrangements to turn himself in. she issued a warrant n he turned himself in at Dallas they just extradited him I think on fri back to N.C. I haven't heard from him since. His p.o. said he would have to do the nine mo. plus some for leaving n becoming an Absconder. I wrote the post release committee asking for leniency on his behalf is there anything else I can do before he gets there to help him get less time. I mean damn he only has 4mo, left

Asked: September 21, 2015
Author: Lacresia
Ask the inmate answer
1

Turning yourself in voluntarily rather than being tracked down and arrested is genuinely meaningful and it is the right thing to have done. Whether it translates into reduced time is a harder question and the honest answer is that the options are limited once the violation has occurred and the warrant has been served.

The fact that he contacted his parole officer and made arrangements to surrender rather than waiting to be caught is the strongest argument in his favor going into any review. It demonstrates that he was not trying to permanently evade supervision, that he had a reason for leaving that was personal rather than criminal, and that he took responsibility when encouraged to do so. That narrative matters to a post release committee even if it does not automatically reduce time.

Writing to the post release committee as you have done is exactly the right move and about as much as can be done from the outside before he arrives. A letter that speaks to his character, his circumstances, and the voluntary surrender without making excuses for the decision to leave carries weight. Keep it factual, genuine, and focused on who he is rather than arguing the rules were unfair.

Beyond that, the realistic outlook is that four months plus the absconder addition is going to move faster than it feels right now. Trying to calculate a way out of time that has already been determined is an exhausting exercise that rarely produces results and makes the waiting harder. Staying connected through letters and calls, keeping his spirits up, and being ready on the other side is where the energy is best spent.

He made a poor choice for the right reason and owned it. That counts for something even when the system does not always show it.

https://www.inmateaid.com/ask-the-inmate/does-turning-yourself-in-as-absconder-reduce-your-sentence#answer
Accepted Answer Date Created: September 22,2015

Thank you for trying AMP!

You got lucky! We have no ad to show to you!