probation/ parole officers

[s0nya]

Could someone please give me a discription of each probation officers and parole officers?
I am assuming that people on probation have not served time in jail, but are being watched by their officer, and people on parole are coming out of jail early, while being watched by their officer.


Is this correct? Is there any more information you can give me about this?


Thank you.
Tricia

[MJ-1]

Sonja,

Your basically right about the descriptions, but people on probation can spend time in jail while on probation. Probation is having an officer and the courts watch over the defendant instead of the defendant going to prison.

On the other hand, parole is where a person has been in prison and basically spends the rest of his/her sentance out of prison, but being supervised by a parole officer.

The big difference is that people on probation are under the jurisdiction of the courts, while people on parole are under the jurisdiction of the penal system.