State law mandates that a pre-sentence investigation (PSI) be
prepared and submitted to the court prior to sentencing on most
felony convictions and on certain misdemeanors. In preparing the
PSI's the Probation Department interviews victims to assess the
extent of physical, psychological or financial injury. After a
thorough investigation of the offender, including the individual's
criminal, social, scholastic and employment histories, as well as an
examination of alcohol and substance abuse, JAG makes a
sentencing recommendation to the judge.
In addition to helping judges decide on an appropriate sentence,
the reports afford officers the opportunity to recommend appropriate
conditions for offenders placed on probation. We prepare
approximately 3,000 reports on incarceration-bound defendants
annually, and another 2,000 for defendants expected to be placed
under community-based supervision.
