NCJ Number
55079
Date Published
1979
Length
63 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A SURVEY OF SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR INFORMATION ON THE CONTENT OF REPORTS, VARIATIONS IN THEIR USE, AND RELATIONSHIP TO SENTENCING.
Abstract
SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ARE PREPARED BY PROBATION OFFICERS TO HELP COURTS WITH SENTENCING, AND THEY ARE ALSO USED TO INFORM A VARIETY OF PEOPLE WHO DEAL WITH OFFENDERS AFTER SENTENCE. A SAMPLE OF SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS PREPARED IN 1975 WERE STUDIED FOR PROBATION AREAS THROUGHOUT ENGLAND AND WALES FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES: (1) TO DETERMINE VARIATIONS IN CONTENT AND FORMAT OF A SAMPLE OF SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS PREPARED IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROBATION AREAS; (2) TO DETERMINE ANY VARIATION IN THE USE OF SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS BETWEEN PROBATION AREAS, TYPES OF COURTS, AND TYPES OF OFFENDERS; AND (3) TO DETERMINE THE INFORMATION IN SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS NEEDED BY THE COURT IN REACHING A SENTENCING DECISION. THE STUDY WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH EXAMINING THE PRESENT PRACTICE OF SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTING AT A TIME OF LIMITED RESOURCES AND INCREASING WORK PRESSURE. IT WAS FOUND THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF A CLEAR INDICATION OF WHAT COURTS REQUIRE, PROBATION OFFICERS DETERMINE THE CONTENT OF REPORTS. THE RESEARCH FOUND WIDE VARIATIONS IN MOST ASPECTS OF THE CONTENT AND FORMAT OF SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS IN THE 16 PROBATION AREAS STUDIED. DIFFERENCES IN TIME AVAILABLE, WHETHER REPORTS ARE PREPARED BEFORE OR AFTER SENTENCING, DIFFERENT METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION, THE EXTENT TO WHICH SENIOR OFFICERS HAVE DISCRETION IN HANDLING REPORTS, AND VARIATIONS IN THE VOLUME OF WORK ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING VARIATIONS IN CONTENT AND FORMAT BETWEEN PROBATION AREAS. THE RESEARCH DOES NOT PROVIDE A FIRM INDICATION THAT THE TYPES OF SENTENCES PASSED ARE INFLUENCED BY THE SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS PREPARED FOR THE COURTS. THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT THE INCLUSION IN A REPORT OF A RECOMMENDATION BY THE PROBATION OFFICER TENDS TO HAVE MORE INFLUENCE ON THE COURT'S SENTENCING DECISION THAN A REPORT THAT INCLUDES ONLY DATA. RESULTS SHOW THERE IS A NEED FOR DIALOGUE AT LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS BETWEEN THE PROBATION SERVICE AND SENTENCERS TO ESTABLISH AND DEFINE WHICH SUBJECTS ARE SEEN AS RELEVANT TO THE SENTENCING TASK. AN APPENDIX REPORTS ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS VARY, AND TABULAR DATA OBTAINED FROM THE RESEARCH ARE REPORTED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)