Sentencing and Presentence Investigation (Psi)

At the sentencing phase, judges frequently have discretion in the length and type of sentence to impose, including the conditions of probation. Except in cases where mandatory periods of incarceration are ordered, the court may craft a sentence in proportion to the crime and to serve the needs of the individual defendant. This sentence may include incarceration, probation services, mental health services, or all of the above.

Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) reports assist judges in crafting sentences that comply with state statutes, promote public safety, and assist the defendant with accessing social services. The presentence investigation report includes an in-depth interview with the defendant that helps to uncover his or her personal circumstances both before and after the crime. Probation officers conduct PSI interviews. Probation officers also create pre-plea investigation reports (PPI) when needed. A PPI is typically ordered whenever a plea bargain is being considered. A pre-plea investigation contains recommendations for sentencing and treatment. Even though they are valuable, some find the use of a PSI report to be controversial.

This resource provides instruction for users to:

• Explain the purposes of the PSI report
• Outline the content of a PSI report
• Describe how to gather information for a PSI report
• Differentiate between short and long form PSI reports
• Assess the impact of sentencing guidelines and mandatory sentences on the PSI report
• Explain plea bargaining and the pre-plea investigation
• Examine the controversy regarding confidentiality of the PSI report
• Describe the criticisms of the PSI report