DEFINITIONS OF PROBATION CAN REFER TO A DISPOSITION, A STATUS, A SYSTEM OR SUBSYSTEM, AND A PROCESS. EACH OF THESE ASPECTS OF PROBATION IS BRIEFLY DISCUSSED. THE EVOLUTION OF PROBATION IS TRACED BACK TO ITS ORIGINS IN ENGLISH COMMON LAW, AND ITS FUTURE IS VIEWED AS THE KEY TO THE INCREASED EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS. THE GOVERNMENTAL FRAMEWORK OF PROBATION IS EXAMINED WITHIN DISCUSSIONS ON JUDICIAL VERSUS EXECUTIVE BRANCH JURISDICTION OVER PROBATION AND STATE VERSUS LOCAL ADMINISTRATION. PROBATION ADMINISTRATION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEM AREAS IN THE PROBATION SYSTEM; THE NEED FOR ADMINISTRATORS TO FORMULATE GOALS, TRAINING NEEDS FOR PROBATION ADMINISTRATORS, AND DYSFUNCTIONS IN PROBATION OPERATION ARE EXAMINED. THE CURRENT SERVICE SYSTEM FOR PROBATIONERS IS BELIEVED TO BE FAILING BECAUSE THE GOAL OF SERVICE DELIVERY TO PROBATIONERS HAS NOT BEEN DELINEATED CLEARLY AND GIVEN THE PRIORITY REQUIRED. IT IS FURTHER ARGUED THAT AN OVEREMPHASIS ON CASEWORK AND CASELOAD AS THE METHOD AND STANDARD FOR SERVICE DELIVERY HAS CAUSED ADMINISTRATORS TO OVERLOOK MORE EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY METHODS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT IN THE FUTURE PROBATION AGENCIES ORGANIZE THEMSELVES SO AS TO COORDINATE A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES ACCORDING TO THE DIAGNOSED NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL PROBATIONERS. UNDER THIS SYSTEM PROBATION OFFICERS WOULD SERVE AS COMMUNITY RESOURCE MANAGERS, WHO WILL ACTIVATE AND SUPERVISE THE DELIVERY OF AVAILABLE COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE BENEFIT OF EACH PROBATIONER FOR WHOM THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)