NCJ Number
79953
Date Published
1981
Length
209 pages
Annotation
This training manual for compiling presentence investigation reports covers investigation techniques, interview skills, choice of relevant information, confidentiality, and writing skills. It is intended for both the instructor and trainee, and its two sections were developed in a series of workshops.
Abstract
The presentence investigation report serves as a source of relevant information about convicted offenders, thus helping the court determine appropriate sentences, aiding correctional personnel in classification and program activities, and assisting the parole authority in making its decisions. The modules address these issues as they introduce the Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (PSIR) Project and its products and describe the various techniques and skills in report compilation. The investigation techniques module describes the factors involved in investigation planning, outlines the specific steps to follow when implementing the process, and presents a method for verifying and documenting information found during the investigation process. The interview module deals with methods of planning and conducting interviews; participants are shown how to record the PSIR interview. In the confidentiality module, confidentiality categories are discussed in terms of State statutes, and trainees are told when information can be obtained, disclosed, or released. The writing skills module covers problems of style and use of legal terminology, and the module on how to choose relevant information categorizes kinds of information and their degrees of confidentiality. For each module in the trainee section, the trainer manual presents instructions and exercises.