An alternative to imprisonment where a convicted defendant is allowed to walk free under supervision as long as they observe certain conditions.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
probation (noun)1.
critical examination and evaluation or subjection to such examination and evaluation
2.
a) subjection of an individual to a period of testing and trial to ascertain fitness (as for a job or school)
b) the action of suspending the sentence of a convicted offender and giving the offender freedom during good behavior under the supervision of a probation officer
c) the state or a period of being subject to probation
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
probation (noun)a systematic search for the truth or facts about something
SYNONYMS:
delving, disquisition, examen, examination, exploration, inquest, inquisition, investigation, probation, probe, probing, research, studyRELATED WORDS:
quest; audit, check; checkup, diagnosis, inspection; hearing, interrogation, trial; feeler, query, question; poll, questionary, questionnaire, survey; challenge, cross-examination, going-over, grilling, quiz; rehearing, reinvestigation; self-examination, self-exploration, self-questioning, self-reflection, self-scrutiny, soul-searching