a system of dealing (chiefly) with young persons found guilty of crimes of lesser gravity, and esp. with first offenders, wherein these, instead of being sent to prison or otherwise punished, are released on suspended sentence during good behaviour, and placed under the supervision of a probation officer, who acts as a friend and adviser, but who, in case of the failure of the probationer to fulfil the terms of his probation, can report him back to the court for the execution of the sentence originally imposed, kuriteo toimepannud isiku karistusest vabastamise viis, mille puhul ta antakse vastava taotluse esitanud isiku või kollektiivi hoole alla, kui kohus leiab, et need soovivad ja suudavad valvata süüdimõistetu käitumise järele ning avaldada temale kasvatuslikku mõju, ühiskondliku mõjutamise abinõu, mis seisneb kriminaalvastutusest vabastatud isiku andmises kollektiivi järelevalve alla tema ümberkasvatamiseks
