In the criminal justice system probation is a particular type of sentence for criminal and traffic offenders. Generally, probation allows a convicted defendant to go free with a suspended sentence for a specified period of good behavior. These convicted defendants are known as Probationers. Once the probationer has been placed under the court mandated supervision, a probation officer will be assigned to monitor the compliance of certain conditions. If the probationer violates a condition of probation, the court may place additional restrictions on the probationer or order the probationer to serve a term of incarceration.
The goal of the probation department is to serve the court and the community by supervising probationers and holding them accountable for their actions. Probation officers also provide them with support needed to maintain a law-abiding status within the community. The probation officers perform drug and alcohol screens, risk assessments, and investigatory work to determine the level of supervision. In some cases, the probationers are referred to outside agencies that assess his/her needs and provide services in collaboration with the assigned probation officer, including but not limited to: counseling, education, employment, medical care, housing, electronic monitoring, and more.
The probation officers of the Lebanon Municipal Court report directly to Judge Martin E. Hubbell , and serve only those probationers convicted of a misdemeanor offense through the Lebanon Municipal Court.