Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§3603 Duties of probation officers

Title 18 › Part PART II— - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE › Chapter CHAPTER 229— - POSTSENTENCE ADMINISTRATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER A— - PROBATION › § 3603

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Probation officers must tell each person on probation or supervised release what the court ordered and give them a written copy of those conditions. They must watch the person's behavior and situation as the court requires and tell the sentencing court about it. They must try to help the person improve, using any appropriate methods that do not conflict with the court’s conditions. Officers are responsible for supervising people who are in their judicial district, must keep records of their work, and must send reports to the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts as requested. Officers must help the Attorney General or the Attorney General’s designee when asked for people on work release, furlough, or prerelease custody under section 3624(c). They must monitor payment of fines or restitution and report failures to pay within thirty days after notice so the court can consider revocation. When the court orders, officers must supervise and report on people released under sections 4243, 4246, or 4248, and they must immediately tell the court and the Attorney General about any violations. With district court approval and under rules from the Administrative Office Director, officers may carry firearms. Officers must also perform any other duties the court assigns.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §3603

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

A probation officer shall—
(1)instruct a probationer or a person on supervised release, who is under his supervision, as to the conditions specified by the sentencing court, and provide him with a written statement clearly setting forth all such conditions;
(2)keep informed, to the degree required by the conditions specified by the sentencing court, as to the conduct and condition of a probationer or a person on supervised release, who is under his supervision, and report his conduct and condition to the sentencing court;
(3)use all suitable methods, not inconsistent with the conditions specified by the court, to aid a probationer or a person on supervised release who is under his supervision, and to bring about improvements in his conduct and condition;
(4)be responsible for the supervision of any probationer or a person on supervised release who is known to be within the judicial district;
(5)keep a record of his work, and make such reports to the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts as the Director may require;
(6)upon request of the Attorney General or his designee, assist in the supervision of and furnish information about, a person within the custody of the Attorney General while on work release, furlough, or other authorized release from his regular place of confinement, or while in prerelease custody pursuant to the provisions of section 3624(c);
(7)keep informed concerning the conduct, condition, and compliance with any condition of probation, including the payment of a fine or restitution of each probationer under his supervision and report thereon to the court placing such person on probation and report to the court any failure of a probationer under his supervision to pay a fine in default within thirty days after notification that it is in default so that the court may determine whether probation should be revoked;
(8)(A)when directed by the court, and to the degree required by the regimen of care or treatment ordered by the court as a condition of release, keep informed as to the conduct and provide supervision of a person conditionally released under the provisions of section 4243, 4246, or 4248 of this title, and report such person’s conduct and condition to the court ordering release and to the Attorney General or his designee; and
(B)immediately report any violation of the conditions of release to the court and the Attorney General or his designee;
(9)if approved by the district court, be authorized to carry firearms under such rules and regulations as the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts may prescribe; and
(10)perform any other duty that the court may designate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Par. (8)(A). Pub. L. 115–391 substituted “, 4246, or 4248” for “or 4246”. 1996—Pars. (9), (10). Pub. L. 104–317 added par. (9) and redesignated former par. (9) as (10). 1992—Pars. (8), (9). Pub. L. 102–572 added par. (8) and redesignated former par. (8) as (9). 1986—Pub. L. 99–646 redesignated pars. (a) to (h) as (1) to (8), respectively, and in par. (6) substituted “assist in the supervision of” for “supervise” and inserted a comma after “about”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–572 effective Jan. 1, 1993, see section 1101 of Pub. L. 102–572, set out as a note under section 905 of Title 2, The Congress.

Effective Date

of 1986 Amendment Pub. L. 99–646, § 15(b), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3595, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the taking effect of section 3603 of title 18, United States Code [Nov. 1, 1987].”

Effective Date

Section effective Nov. 1, 1987, and applicable only to offenses committed after the taking effect of this section, see section 235(a)(1) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as a note under section 3551 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 3603

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73