Opinion ID: 1441305
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Level V Service Requires Level V Credit

Text: When a defendant is found guilty of violating his or her probation, the trial judge is authorized to reimpose any previously suspended prison term, i.e., Level V incarceration. Ingram v. State, Del.Supr., 567 A.2d 868, 869 (1989). 11 Del.C. § 4334(c) states in part: If the violation is established, the court may continue or revoke the probation or suspension of sentence, and may require the probation violator to serve the sentence imposed, or any lesser sentence, and, if imposition of sentence was suspended, may impose any sentence which might originally have been imposed. Gamble's original sentence was a maximum of six years at Level V incarceration, suspended after two years for decreasing levels of supervision. Accordingly, after finding Gamble guilty of violating his probation, the Superior Court was authorized to require Gamble to serve the entire balance of his original six-year sentence at Level V incarceration. The Superior Court, however, in its discretion reimposed only a one year term at Level V, followed by supervision at Level III for the balance of the entire original term. This Court has held that a defendant is not entitled to Level V incarceration credit for time served at Level IV work release. [2] When a defendant actually serves time at Level V incarceration, however, he or she is entitled to Level V credit. Consequently, this Court has consistently held that a defendant must be given Level V credit for all prior time actually served at Level V incarceration when further incarceration at Level V is imposed after a probation violation. [3] Gamble should have been given Level V credit for the five months and eleven days he served at Level V incarceration while waiting for available space at Level IV work release. Gamble's additional sentence of one year Level V incarceration for the probation violation has been or will be completed soon. In the event that Gamble receives a Level V incarceration sentence because of any probation violation in the future, Gamble should be given Level V credit for the five months and eleven days he has already served at Level V.