Probation vs. Pardon — What's the Difference?

Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court instead of serving time in prison. In some jurisdictions, the term probation applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such as suspended sentences.

A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the jurisdiction.Pardons can be granted in many countries when individuals are deemed to have demonstrated that they have "paid their debt to society", or are otherwise considered to be deserving of them.

A process or period in which a person's fitness, as for work or membership in a social group, is tested.

The action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offence

A criminal sentence consisting of a term of imprisonment that is suspended provided certain terms and conditions are met.

Forgive or excuse (a person, error, or offence)

The status of serving such a criminal sentence.

A request to a speaker to repeat something because one did not hear or understand it

Release of a person from commitment for insanity, subject to reversal in the event of a relapse into insanity.

To release (a person) from punishment or disfavor for wrongdoing or a fault

A trial period in which a student is given time to try to redeem failing grades or bad conduct.

To allow (an offense or fault) to pass without punishment or disfavor.

A period of time when a person occupies a position only conditionally and may easily be removed for poor performance

To make courteous allowance for; excuse

(legal) A type of sentence where convicted criminals are allowed to continue living in the community but will automatically be sent to jail if they violate certain conditions

The act of pardoning.

A testing period of time

Exemption of a convicted person from the penalties of an offense or crime by the power of the executor of the laws.

(archaic) The act of testing; proof

An official document or warrant declaring such an exemption.

The act of proving; also, that which proves anything; proof.

Allowance or forgiveness for an offense or a discourtesy

Any proceeding designed to ascertain truth, to determine character, qualification, etc.; examination; trial; as, to engage a person on probation.

Roman Catholic Church An indulgence.

A trial period during which your character and abilities are tested to see whether you are suitable for work or for membership

Forgiveness for an offence.

A trial period during which an offender has time to redeem himself or herself

(legal) An order that releases a convicted criminal without further punishment, prevents future punishment, or (in some jurisdictions) removes an offence from a person's criminal record, as if it had never been committed.

(law) a way of dealing with offenders without imprisoning them; a defendant found guilty of a crime is released by the court without imprisonment subject to conditions imposed by the court;

(transitive) To forgive (a person).

(transitive) To refrain from exacting as a penalty.

To grant an official pardon for a crime.

Often used when someone does not understand what another person says.

The act of pardoning; forgiveness, as of an offender, or of an offense; release from penalty; remission of punishment; absolution.

An official warrant of remission of penalty.

The state of being forgiven.

A release, by a sovereign, or officer having jurisdiction, from the penalties of an offense, being distinguished from amnesty, which is a general obliteration and canceling of a particular line of past offenses.

To absolve from the consequences of a fault or the punishment of crime; to free from penalty; - applied to the offender.

To remit the penalty of; to suffer to pass without punishment; to forgive; - applied to offenses.

To refrain from exacting as a penalty.

To give leave (of departure) to.

The act of excusing a mistake or offense

A warrant granting release from punishment for an offense

The formal act of liberating someone

Accept an excuse for;

Grant a pardon to;