This report devoted to presenting the probation system in Poland together with the duties performed by probation officers is made up of two chapters. In the first chapter all primary legal acts regulating the institutions of the probation officers were discussed, also with the functions they perform in the system of criminal justice. In the second chapter, results of research conducted in all court districts in Poland in 2002 were presented. The following conclusions of the research can be mentioned: -probation officers' opinion about their insufficient number (there is about 2000 professional probation officers for adults) in order to be effective in the assigned roles; -the legal system seems to have achieved a desired state; -supervisions performed by probation officers do not comply with all the obligatory functions (i.e. caring – job finding); however, the controlling functions over the sentenced under supervision seem to be accepted as satisfactory.