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.

It takes more than a year to train a probation officer.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

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

A second accomplice who fled with Baker in the hairstylist’s Porsche was unknown until last October when authorities arrested Austin, an Oregon probation officer.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2025

Before he left, he promised his probation officer he would stay out of trouble.

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