Probation refers to the release to the community of a person convicted of a crime so long as there is compliance with certain conditions of good behavior under the supervision of a probation officer” (Statsky, 1985, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2011).  Probation is a community sentence where the probationer is kept in the community under monitorship and restrictions of a community officer. Whether or not a person under probation will be granted, the probation relies on the decision of the judiciary. As a sentencing option, probation is used: (1) to suspend the execution of a sentence of incarceration, (2) to suspend the imposition of a sentence, or (3) as a sentence in itself (Stojkovic & Lovell, 2013).

Probation meets the goal of sentencing because it is a sentence in itself. For example, if the offender violates the term of probation, the imposed period of incarceration remains, and if they are successful, they avoid part or all the imprisonment period.  Another reason as to why probationm meets the goal of sentencing is that it is commonly combined with other forms of sentencing in a single decision such as a fine, community service, restitution and other creative combinations (Stojkovic & Lovell, 2013). This way, an offender feels the weight of the sentence as they have to comply with the probation terms and they have to complete the sentencing successfully or they will have to be penalized. I, therefore, see probation as an effective means of sentencing as allowing somebody into the community and monitoring them, they may as well learn to live with people in that process.

References

Statsky, W. (1985). Legal thesaurus/dictionary. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co.

Stojkovic, S., & Lovell, R. (2013). Corrections: An introduction. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

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