Research has shown that courts and practising jurists increasingly use social work pre-sentence reports. Pre-sentence reports can be requested from probation officers and social workers in private practice. These reports are prepared with the purpose of assisting courts in determining the most appropriate sentence taking into account the criminal, the victim and the community. Worldwide research as confirmed by this investigation indicates that jurists generally regard the quality of pre-sentence reports as unsatisfactory. This research focussed on jurists' quality grading and their pointing out of shortcomings and problems regarding certain aspects of the pre-sentence report. Twenty respondents took part in this research among whom were advocates (some with senior status), regional magistrates, magistrates and attorneys with experience in the criminal court as well as being experienced in employing pre-sentence reports. The aspects of the pre-sentence reports concentrated on is the report format, report content, the discussion of the facts (evaluation), motivation underlying the recommendations, general appearance, use of assessment instruments, presentation in court, as well as skills and knowledge required to write the reports. The respondents were also requested to indicate they prefer the service of either a probation officer or a social worker in private practice. Their preferences are highlighted and discussed. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Research has shown that courts and practising jurists increasingly use social work pre-sentence reports. Pre-sentence reports can be requested from probation officers and social workers in private practice. These reports are prepared with the purpose of assisting courts in determining the most appropriate sentence taking into account the criminal, the victim and the community. Worldwide research as confirmed by this investigation indicates that jurists generally regard the quality of pre-sentence reports as unsatisfactory. This research focussed on jurists' quality grading and their pointing out of shortcomings and problems regarding certain aspects of the pre-sentence report. Twenty respondents took part in this research among whom were advocates (some with senior status), regional magistrates, magistrates and attorneys with experience in the criminal court as well as being experienced in employing pre-sentence reports. The aspects of the pre-sentence reports concentrated on is the report format, report content, the discussion of the facts (evaluation), motivation underlying the recommendations, general appearance, use of assessment instruments, presentation in court, as well as skills and knowledge required to write the reports. The respondents were also requested to indicate they prefer the service of either a probation officer or a social worker in private practice. Their preferences are highlighted and discussed. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Sammanfattning: Forskning har visat att myndigheters beslut och insatser påverkas av klientens könstillhörighet. Frivården har deltagit i ett regeringsprojekt kallat JiM vilket syftar till att säkerställa att myndigheters verksamhet präglas av ett jämställdhetsperspektiv. Denna uppsats har utifrån ett genusperspektiv undersökt hur kön influerar personutredares förslag och motiveringar till påföljd. Genom en kvalitativ vinjettmetod har sex personutredare fått bedöma en vinjett där endast könstillhörigheten på klienten har ändrats. Resultaten analyserades sedan med hjälp av Yvonne Hirdmans genusteori vilket visade att könsrelaterade mönster framträder i personutredarnas förslag och motiveringar samt att klientens könstillhörighet tycks inverka på förslaget till påföljd. Vår slutsats är att genus omedvetet kan influera oss också i en yrkesroll som exempelvis personutredare på ett frivårdskontor, detta är något vi måste vara vaksamma på och diskutera för att inte riskera att reproducera och upprätthålla genuskontrakt och den sociala könsordningen. / Abstract The Swedish probation service, same for everyone? Gender pattern and variations in probation service recommendations of sanction Research has shown that public decisions and interventions are often affected by the clients´ gender. The Swedish probation service has participated in a governmental project called JiM to ensure that the working practice of the authorities must be characterized by a gender equality perspective. This paper is based on a gender perspective and has explored how gender influences on the probation officers risk assessments and recommendations of sanction. Through a qualitative vignette method six individual probation officers received a vignette where only the gender of the client had changed. Yvonne Hirdmans´ gender theory was used to analyze the results. It showed that gender patterns appear in probation officers risk assessments and recommendations of sanction and that the clients´ gender seems to influence the recommendations of sanction. Our conclusion is that gender unconsciously can influence us in a professional capacity such as probations officers, and this is something we must be aware of and discuss to reduce the risk of reproducing and maintaining gender contracts and the social gender order.