Pre-sentence investigations, victim impact statements, and probation administration

Corrections - Probation

Criminal Justice

Corrections & Probation-

The objective of this work is to answer the question of precisely what purpose the pre-sentence investigation reports serves inclusive of a victim impact statement and to relate some problems that are associated with these documents. Further this work has as its objective to explain the advantages and disadvantages of the ways in which probation may be administered. Next this work will relate the advantages and disadvantages of probation being administered on a county level and on a state level. Finally the elements that affect whether probation is granted will be researched and then related.

Pre-sentencing Report

The pre-sentencing report is just as it sounds a report that is prepared prior to the sentencing hearing. The report contains relevant information related to the hopeful probationer concerning their income, employment, address, family characteristics, and any medications/treatment/rehabilitation presently applicable.

II. Victim Impact Statement

The Victim-Impact Statement is a report that relates the effect to which the victim in the case at hand was injured on a monetary basis and then used for the calculation of the reparation to be paid by the probationer as a contingent factor of their obtaining and maintaining probationary status.

IV. Advantages/Disadvantages of Administration at State & County Level

There are advantages and disadvantages of administration of Probation on the County as well as on the State level known to exist. Resources and funding is more often than not very limited in County and State Probation Offices which leads to overworked staff members and under-supervised probationers.

V. Elements Affecting the Status of Granting or Denial of Probation

Elements that are known to affect whether an individual receives probation are such things as whether the individual has a previous record. For example with the three strikes law, the third time a violent offense is committed the individual will have no probationary status granted except in extremely rare cases. Whether the individual is employed and can pay their probation fines is one known affecter as well as whether the individual has completed or at least started rehabilitation or recovery or other programs ascribed as a condition of being considered for probation. Further, the type of crime committed will be a major factor in whether probation status is a possibility.

Criminal Justice: Corrections & Probation