After an offender is found guilty of committing a crime, the court can suspend the sentence and place the offender under the supervision of a probation officer, or place the offender in a local jail or correctional institution, followed by a period of probation supervision. While on probation, offenders must obey all laws and follow the specific orders issued by the court.
Probation is a condition of an offender's original court sentence by a judge.
An offender can be sentenced to probation only and be required to follow any number of specific stipulations as outlined in the court order. An offender may also be sentenced to jail time plus probation and also be required to fulfill specific stipulations demanded by the court, including regular reporting to a probation officer. Parole is a condition of early release for someone coming out of a prison. Probation has several programs designed to divert the less serious offender from formal court action when the community's safety is not in jeopardy. Probation usually gets young people through referrals.