Pre-sentence report

If a court finds a youth guilty of an offence, the magistrate or judge may ask for a pre-sentence report to help them decide what the sentence will be.

The report gives the court information about what led a youth to break the law, sentence options, and programs and services available to help them.

The court must ask for a report if it is considering giving a youth:

• an intensive supervision order
• a conditional release order
• a detention order.

Interview

First, a Youth Justice officer interviews you and a youth to try to understand:

• why a youth broke the law
• how they feel about it
• how they feel about any victims.

The caseworker may interview you more than once and other people as well.

The interview process usually takes about 3 weeks.

Questions

The Youth Justice officer may ask you about:

• your family
• the youth’s school or work
• the offence
• the youth’s attitude to the victim
• any consequences or punishment the youth has experienced already
• the youth’s behaviour since those consequences
• any other information that the court has requested.

The Youth Justice officer might also talk to you about the court’s options for sentencing and whether the youth would agree to them.

Viewing the report

The Youth Justice officer talks to you about what the final report says but the court decides whether you can see it.

Copies go to:

• the youth’s solicitor
• the police prosecutor
• the court.

You can also speak to the youth's solicitor about the report.

Disagreeing with the report

If you have a problem with the report, contact either the Youth Justice officer who wrote it, or their team leader. You can also speak to the youth's solicitor.

More information

What happens when a youth goes to court.