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probation officer

American

noun

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

probation officer British

noun

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 described the workload as "non-stop", and increasing until "you simply can't cope", adding: "It's just overwhelming."

From BBC • Aug. 20, 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

My probation officer thinks he’s slick; he swears he’s an expert on gangs.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023