Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

probation officer

American  

noun

  1. an officer who investigates and reports on the conduct of offenders who are free on probation.


probation officer British  

noun

  1. an officer of a court who supervises offenders placed on probation and assists and befriends them

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of probation officer

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One probation officer told BBC News: "We can't cope now, God knows how we'll cope if these recommendations are accepted. I'm already looking for another job. It's just not possible to do all this work."

From BBC • May 22, 2025

Giving evidence earlier, Ms Pegg said she joined the Prison Service after eight years as a probation officer because she liked working with people and "wanted to make a difference".

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2025

County Probation Oversight Commission and a former county probation officer.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2025

He stayed until he was 23 and now lives back in London working as a probation officer.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2025

Up until this point, the most the quiet young man had said about the accident and his feelings was to the probation officer, Kaylene Yonk.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel