# § 3603. Duties of probation officers
A probation officer shall—
**(1)** instruct a probationer or a person on supervised release, who is under his supervision, as to the conditions specified by the sentencing court, and provide him with a written statement clearly setting forth all such conditions;
**(2)** keep informed, to the degree required by the conditions specified by the sentencing court, as to the conduct and condition of a probationer or a person on supervised release, who is under his supervision, and report his conduct and condition to the sentencing court;
**(3)** use all suitable methods, not inconsistent with the conditions specified by the court, to aid a probationer or a person on supervised release who is under his supervision, and to bring about improvements in his conduct and condition;
**(4)** be responsible for the supervision of any probationer or a person on supervised release who is known to be within the judicial district;
**(5)** keep a record of his work, and make such reports to the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts as the Director may require;
**(6)** upon request of the Attorney General or his designee, assist in the supervision of and furnish information about, a person within the custody of the Attorney General while on work release, furlough, or other authorized release from his regular place of confinement, or while in prerelease custody pursuant to the provisions of section 3624(c);
**(7)** keep informed concerning the conduct, condition, and compliance with any condition of probation, including the payment of a fine or restitution of each probationer under his supervision and report thereon to the court placing such person on probation and report to the court any failure of a probationer under his supervision to pay a fine in default within thirty days after notification that it is in default so that the court may determine whether probation should be revoked;
**(8)**
**(A)** when directed by the court, and to the degree required by the regimen of care or treatment ordered by the court as a condition of release, keep informed as to the conduct and provide supervision of a person conditionally released under the provisions of section 4243, 4246, or 4248 of this title, and report such person’s conduct and condition to the court ordering release and to the Attorney General or his designee; and
**(B)** immediately report any violation of the conditions of release to the court and the Attorney General or his designee;
**(9)** if approved by the district court, be authorized to carry firearms under such rules and regulations as the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts may prescribe; and
**(10)** perform any other duty that the court may designate.
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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 212(a)(2), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2002; amended Pub. L. 99–646, § 15(a), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3595; Pub. L. 102–572, title VII, § 701(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4514; Pub. L. 104–317, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3848; Pub. L. 115–391, title VI, § 609(a), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5245.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2018—Par. (8)(A). substituted “, 4246, or 4248” for “or 4246”.
1996—Pars. (9), (10). added par. (9) and redesignated former par. (9) as (10).
1992—Pars. (8), (9). added par. (8) and redesignated former par. (8) as (9).
1986— redesignated pars. (a) to (h) as (1) to (8), respectively, and in par. (6) substituted “assist in the supervision of” for “supervise” and inserted a comma after “about”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under , The Congress.
### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
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### Effective Date
Section effective , and applicable only to offenses committed after the taking effect of this section, see , set out as a note under .