It is actually worst than parole, on parole you only serve the remainder of the time, on probation if you only had a month probation left of three years, you could be sent to jail for the three years.
And yes, judges normally and often if you have several violations ( you picked up a new charge plus tested dirty) will send you to jail for at least a few months if not longer to teach you a lesson since you are not taking probation serious. Probation is a "chance" to prove you can follow the rules, knowing you will be tested or could be you still used, so when caught judges just see you as someone who is not grateful for the chance the court gave them. They see violatoins as a disrespect. And the PO is there just to try, so he will be telling them how bad you were. not how good you did.
And the judge cares less about new kid or work, that may not even be allowed to be mentioned.