Probation is a key element of the criminal justice system, where an individual is kept out of jail but imposed a certain set of rules. One should be aware that probation’s success relies on a wide range of factors, which can include the active involvement of probation officers and the harshness of alternative sentencing. The probation process is comprised of interconnected parties, such as the probation officer, the offender, and the correctional organization. The overall success and failure of probation are highly dependent on the completion within the specified period, where there are no violations during and after the moment of passing.
One should be aware that probation’s success is reliant on a wide range of factors. It is stated that a probation officer was charged with violation by sexually assaulting two people undergoing their probation (“Probation officer charged,” 2019). The overall involvement and proper operation of the officer are critical for success. Another case shows that limiting location and imposing fines can be effective at making probation lead to positive outcomes (“Former employee,” 2020). Therefore, both the correctional organization and probation officers play a central role in ensuring the general success of probation.
During probation, the correction of the convict is carried out because this is a control period during which the convict, by his behavior, must prove his correction. This is necessary for him or her to prove it under the threat of canceling the probation (Siegel & Worrall, 2015). It is a control period, and the legal consequences of a conditional sentence are directly dependent on the person’s behavior during this period. In addition, one can derive several key probation characteristics. It is a certain period, where the possible duration is set in the law, and the actual term of the probation is determined in the court. During probation, corrective action is carried out on the convict. During the probationary period,
criminal law enforcement measures are applied to the convicted person through the mandatory establishment of duties or prohibitions and the exercise of control over the behavior of the perpetrator. In addition, the expediency of applying a conditional sentence is being checked, where the possibility of implementing criminal liability without actually serving the main sentence is imposed by the court.
However, the offender must also cooperate in order to avoid failure. For instance, a company on environmental probation did not adhere to the rules, which resulted in a penalty and other undertakings (“Princess Cruise Lines,” 2019). Nevertheless, one should note that probation can be pardoned by the President of the United States (“Pardons granted,” 2020). Thus, it is critical that the offender cooperates with the relevant parties. The probation period is deemed to be a success, not by the mere absence of a failure. The most desired outcome is a substantial change in an offender’s behavior, which became habitual and consistent. However, a productive probation attempt is a failure when the specified rules are broken. In addition, it can also result in a negative outcome when either the probation officer or correctional organization is unsuccessful at adhering to their responsibilities.
In conclusion, probation is one of the most central elements of the criminal justice system, which allows the offender to avoid jail by complying with certain rules within a specified period of time. Its success and failure are largely reliant on the cooperative measures undertaken by the probation officer, correctional organization, and the offender himself or herself. Although the lack of violations does not determine success, it is an indicator of a positive change.
References
Pardons granted by President Donald Trump. (2020). Web.
Probation officer charged with violating civil rights of two individuals he supervised. (2019). Web.
Siegel, L. J., & Worrall, J. L. (2015). Introduction to criminal justice (15th ed.). Cengage Learning.