Probation is the suspension of a prison or jail sentence - the criminal who is "on probation" has been convicted of a crime, but instead of serving prison time, has been found by the Court to be amenable to probation and will be returned to the community for a period in which they will have to abide to certain conditions set forth by the Court under the supervision of a Probation Officer. General conditions may include maintaining employment, abiding to a curfew, living where directed, abstaining from unlawful behavior and following the probation officer's orders.

Usually the offender is supervised by a probation officer , to monitor their performance during the probation period. The probation officer helps the offender to adapt to living in the community; to guide and help them to behave in a lawful and responsible way.

The concept of probation was first enacted in the late 19th Century by John Augustus, cobbler by trade, in the city of Boston, MA.