Offender Assessment
Pre-Sanction Report
A Probation Officer interviews the offender and perhaps their family in the course of preparing the report. Initially the offender will be invited to attend our offices for interview and afterwards the Probation Officer will visit the offender at home. The Officer may wish, with appropriate permission, to talk with others who know the offender. This might include for example, teachers or employers.
If remanded in custody, the Probation Officer will visit the offender in the prison or place of detention.
The Officer will make an assessment of the risk posed of re-offending. Among the areas considered in this are:
· The seriousness of the offence
· Offender’s attitude to the offence
· Why the offender committed the offence
· Empathy towards the victim/s involved
· Areas in the life of the offender where support and assistance may be required, such as drugs and homelessness.
· The application of a risk assessment instrument is also applied.
Having completed the assessment, the report is submitted to the Court outlining the key areas relevant to the particular person. Where appropriate the report may also contain a recommendation in relation to supervision in the community.
What happens then?
Once the court has consulted the report, a decision will be made, and a sanction imposed. There are a range of options available to the Court including:
· Dismissal under the Probation of Offenders Act
· A probation order
· Adjournment on supervision for a further progress report
· Fine
· Imprisonment
· Part –Suspended sentence (with or without probation supervision)
Community Service Reports
Instead of a prison sentence, convicted offenders may be given the opportunity to perform unpaid work for the community. The legislation for Community Service Orders allows the Judge to sentence a convicted offender to between 40 and 240 hours work.
The offender must be 16 years or over to be considered and any order made must be completed within a year.
Community Service is a direct alternative to a prison sentence and will only be considered by the Judge if a custodial sentence has first been considered.
The Judge will ask the Probation Service to:
· complete an assessment as to whether the offender is suitable or not to do community service, and
· state whether there is work available to be completed.
A Probation Officer will interview and assess the offender in preparing the report. The Judge will specify the sentence to be served if the offender fails to complete the order. The number of hours per week to be worked is agreed with the Probation Officer .
It is the responsibility of the offender to complete the community service ordered. The Probation Officer is responsible for informiing the court of the successful completion of the order or for bringing the case back to court for any failure by the offender to complete the order.
Other Assessment Reports
· Parole Board Reports
· Repatriation Reports
· Family Law Reports
· Victim Reports
