FIND MORE >  
   
   

THE ASSESSMENT TEAM

This team strives to provide reports that will help clients receive the level of service they require, whilst taking into consideration public safety and victim rights.

What role does the assessment team perform?

The Assessment Team comprises of Probation Officers/Case Managers, who perform three functions:

  • Preparing Social Inquiry (Presentence) Reports
  • Completing 166 (Pre-release) reports for individuals eligible for Parole
  • Conducting drug and alcohol assessments and recommending treatment services

    Why are social inquiry reports necessary?

    When the Courts seek guidance with respect to sentencing options for an offender, they will request a Social Inquiry Report.  This report outlines all of the circumstances related to the offender and the offending and the possible impact on the community.

This includes the following areas:

  • Family Background
  • Home Environment
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Personal Profile (Client's Self-Image)
  • Collateral Impressions
  • Attitude Towards Offence
  • Previous Treatment (Mental Health and Substance Abuse)
  • Offence Analysis/Risk Assessment
  • Recommendations

Once all of these areas have been examined, the Report is submitted to the Courts assessing suitability for community-based supervision and highlights a sentence recommendation (for Magistrates' and Family Courts only) that has been shared with the individual, in advance.  The Court is not bound by the recommendations outlined in the Report, however the reports outline a menu of options available to the Courts that highlight the offenders circumstances, attitude toward the offence(s) and degree of remorse and their disposition to community-based supervision in particular.

What are parole (pre-release) reports?

Parole reports are social investigations designed to assist the Parole Board in determining an inmate's likelihood of success or failure during community supervision. The Department of Corrections informs the Department of Court Services of persons eligible for Parole. A request is made for a Pre-release Report (formerly called 166 Reports).

The report writer conducts an interviews with the inmate on at least two occasions, and interviews prospective employers, and significant others. A home visit is also conducted. Upon completion, the report is submitted to the Department of Corrections and subsequently forwarded to the Parole Board as part of a dossier of thirteen (13) reports.

These reports examine an inmate's participation in treatment and training or educational programmes whilst incarcerated. and balance these with the individual's social supports to determine the level of risk the inmate would pose to the community if granted release on Parole. The 166 Reports include the following areas:

  • Attitude Towards Offence
  • Patterns of Previous Offending Behaviour
  • Home Circumstances
  • Employment Prospects and insurance options
  • Educational Status
  • Medical Status
  • Previous Responses to and Current Attitude Towards supervision
  • Special Problems to be Addressed Upon Release
  • Assessment of Rick & Recommendation

Persons are deemed eligible for parole are:

  • Inmates who complete one third of their prison sentence
  • Those persons who have successfully met the conditions of their case plan