Parole officers and probation officers play a role in criminal justice systems

Criminal justice

Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...

 by supervising offenders released from incarceration or sentenced to non-custodial sanctions such as community service

Community service

Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....

. In some jurisdictions parole or probation officers are involved in presenting reports on offenders and making sentencing recommendation to courts of law.
Probation and parole officers in Australia serve an active role in recommending community based supervision to Magistrates/Judges.