History of the Federal Probation System
Probation can be defined as a sentence served under the community’s supervision. The Federal Probation System has changed drastically since the Federal Probation Law was passed in 1925. It has gone through many struggles since the government passed the Federal Probation Law. Some of those changes include name changes, changes to the laws, and changes to the supervision of the system. After the introduction of thirty-four bills and forty-seven years after the enactment of the first probation law in the United States, the federal courts finally had a probation law in March of 1925. This Probation Act gave the courts the power to suspend the imposition or execution of a sentence and place the defendant on probation for any crime not punishable by death or life in prison. The probation period could not exceed over five years. The courts could make a fine, restitution, or reparation a condition of probation. The Act also allowed the judge to appoint one or more persons to serve as probation officers without pay and to appoint one probation officer with pay. The paid probation officers were required to take the civil service competition exam. The qualifications for a probation officer changed throughout the years with the age and adding higher education. The judge was also able to remove any probation officer serving his court at his discretion. The duty of the probation officers were to investigate any case referred to him by the court and to supply each probationer with a written statement of the conditions while under supervision. The probation officers were to keep records of their work and an account of monies collected from the probationers.