Get D: Departments Clerk -Superior, Magistrate 2007 PATHO Form(rev ...

What role do probation officers play in the sentencing of convicted offenders? Four functions : intake procedures, diagnosis and needs assessment, client supervision, and presentence investigations.

Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term probation applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such as suspended sentences.

Selection of an appropriate sentence is one of the most important decisions made in the criminal justice system. The primary vehicle to assist the court in making this decision is the presentence investigation report. These reports are completed by United States Probation Officers.

Officers supervise, or monitor, all offenders conditionally released to the community by the federal courts, the U.S. Parole Commission, and military authorities. Community supervision gives officers the means to carry out the court's sentence and to accomplish offender rehabilitation and public safety goals.

Explanation: In criminal cases, the decision-making process involves both judges and juries. The judge determines the penalty, while the jury determines guilt or innocence. However, when it comes to probation recommendations made by probation officers, it is ultimately up to the judge to decide whether to agree or not.