NCJ Number
98238
Date Published
1985
Length
42 pages
Annotation
This report assesses the procedures under which a court, prior to sentencing, may refer convicted Federal offenders to the Bureau of Prisons for a brief period of observation and study to ascertain information relevant to the sentencing decision.
Abstract
The document, a result of a request by the Federal Bureau of Prisons staff who questioned whether the observation reports were meeting the courts' needs, was prepared after a series of interviews with judges, probation officers, and corrections staff involved in the observations, and an examination of a sample of cases. It conveys the judges' and probation officers' general satisfaction with the observation reports, but the author notes that the observation and study process could be improved. The author recommends improving communication between the courts and the staff who prepare presentence reports, restructuring the Bureau of Prisons' timeframe for study and administrative review, and eliminating regional review of study reports prior to their submission to the court. Footnotes are provided.