Pre Sentence Reports

There are 3 types of report (Oral, Fast and Full also known as Standard Delivery) that can be requested by the Court dependent upon the complexity of the individual offender, risks they present and seriousness of the Offence committed. The report highlights the impact of the Offence on the victim and local communities and analyses the offender’s current and (if relevant), previous criminal behaviour in addition to individual circumstances relevant to their offending. The report author then assesses the risk of harm, risk of reoffending and risk of self-harm the offender presents. The report concludes with a sentencing proposal commensurate with the seriousness of the Offence and takes into consideration the Courts indication regarding purpose and type of sentence most likely to reduce the risk of reoffending.

If sentencing to a Community Order or Suspended Sentence Order the Court may impose one or more of the requirements listed below, as prescribed by the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The length of the requirements is determined by the seriousness of the offence or offences. The maximum length of a Community Order is 36 months. The maximum length of a Suspended Sentence Order is 24 months.

• Supervision: The Court has the power to impose the requirement for a duration of 6 - 36 months with the aim to rehabilitate and focus the offender on completing offence focused work that will reduce their likelihood of committing further crime and harming victims and local communities. Offenders subject to a Supervision Requirement are required to complete the ‘Citizenship Programme,’ a structured one to one intervention which allows the offender to look in detail at the offence they have committed, the consequences of this and on who, and how they can make changes to their behaviour to reduce the risk of committing further crime. The programme makes links with Community Partnerships to encourage offenders to integrate successfully into the community and continue to solve problems in a positive way after their Court Order ends.
• Specified Activity: Gives the court power to impose the requirement dependent on the offender’s individual motivation for committing an offence.
  • Employment Training and Education (the offender is referred to a partner agency who works with the offender to increase their literacy and numeracy, employability or securing a position of employment dependent on their individual needs between 3 and 60 days).
  • Breach Re engagement (encourages the offender to work with their Offender Manager to examine the reasons they have failed to comply with their Court Order and how this can be prevented in the future, this is delivered in 3 sessions).
  • Alcohol Activity (a short group work programme of 9 sessions, delivered by a specialist alcohol support agency, focussing on offences related to binge drinking behaviour. Raises awareness regarding the negative consequences of such behaviour and self control).
• Attendance Centre (if the offender is under 25 years, only available in South area of the Trust): The Court has the power to instruct the offender to attend a particular centre at a specified time between 12 and 36 hours where they will be required to participate in activities such as awareness raising regarding violent and alcohol related crime.
• Curfew: This gives the Court the power to instruct an offender to be at their place of residence for a time prescribed by the court. This can be imposed for duration of 2 – 6 months.
• Drug Rehabilitation Requirement: This gives the Court Power (with the offenders consent), to instruct the offender to engage in drug treatment for a duration of 6 -36 months.
• Exclusion: This gives the Court power to exclude an offender from an identified area for a duration of 2 – 12 months.
• Mental Health Requirement: After taking professional advice regarding the offenders Mental Health and with the offenders consent, the Court can impose the requirement for a duration up to 36 months.
• Prohibited Activity: This gives the Court the power to prevent the offender from engaging in a particular activity related to their offending behaviour for a duration up to 36 months.
• Programme Requirement: There are a number of Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes available within the Trust aimed at addressing the individual reasons that have led to an offender committing a crime by challenging their attitudes and behaviour. For further information regarding the Programmes available within the Trust please Click Here.
• Residence: The Requirement gives the court the power to instruct an offender to reside at a specified address assessed as suitable by the Offender Manager for up to 36 months.
• Unpaid Work: This is also known as Community Payback and enables the court to instruct the offender to complete between 40 and 300 hours of Unpaid Work for the benefit of the Community.
• Alcohol Treatment: With the offenders consent, the Court can impose the Requirement for those offenders who have committed an offence as they are consuming alcohol to excess on a regular basis. The requirement can be imposed for a duration of 6 – 36 months. The Requirement involves the offender working with a health care professional to address their alcohol consumption.

While the Offender Manager is responsible for delivering the Order of the Court, The Trust acknowledges the effective management of an offender relies on close partnership and interagency working.