Probation is a sentence served in the community and includes a number of supervision conditions. If the conditions are violated, individuals could receive a sanction, including revocation. Not every violation, however, may receive a consequence. Probation officers have discretion for how they manage individuals on the caseloads. This study used qualitative data from two departments in a MidWest state in the United States, one rural and one urban, to explore officer decision-making in supervision. It is critical to examine these factors due to the high number of individuals revoked from probation each year. The study findings illustrate the factors officers use in monitoring conditions, as well as in violations and revocations.

缓刑是在社区服刑，包括若干监督条件。如果违反条件，个人可能会受到制裁，包括撤销。然而，并非每一次违规都会产生后果。缓刑官员可以自行决定如何管理案件中的个人。本研究使用来自美国中西部州的两个部门（一个农村和一个城市）的定性数据来探索官员在监督中的决策。由于每年被撤销缓刑的人数很多，因此检查这些因素至关重要。研究结果说明了官员在监控条件以及违规和撤销时使用的因素。