Judges have turned more and more to probation instead of incarceration in recent years, and will continue to do so in the future. An important reason for this trend is that probation is less expensive and seems to be more effective for many offenders. Many jurisdictions have such undesirable or overcrowded jails and prisons that judges are reluctant to send offenders to them. Judges know that persons sent to prison for relatively minor offenses often come under the influence of hard-core offenders (Callahan 15).

Furthermore, effective rehabilitation and education programs are not always available in institutions. The Courts have therefore turned to other methods of dealing with convicted lawbreakers. Judges today are choosing probation and other community supervisory programs as desirable alternatives to imprisonment. Incarceration may be destructive and should be imposed only when necessary. On the other hand, incarceration can also be an appropriate element of a probation program to emphasize the consequences of criminal behavior and therefore effect constructive behavioral change.

3. Interviews defendants, their families and friends and conducts background investigations to determine the types of sentences and to create corrective action plans.

In summary, the purpose of probation is an alternative to an offender being incarcerated in jail or prison by serving his or her sentence in his or her community as long as he or she meets the conditions set by the courts. Conditions of probation vary from state to state but include supervised and unsupervised probations in addition to mandatory and non-mandatory conditions. The responsibilities of the probation officer are many; hence it is important that services and programs are available that will afford offenders an opportunity to become responsible, law-abiding citizens.

The job objective for a probation officer with the City of Little Rock is to design and monitor corrective action plans and programs for Criminal Court probationers and to provide court security. The essential job functions are:

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