Criminal Justice Social Work Reports (CJSWRs)
Criminal Justice Social Work Reports (CJSWRs)
A Criminal Justice Social Work Report (CJSWR) formerly known as a Social Enquiry Report is a report prepared by Social Workers and is submitted on request from the sentencing Court.
The purpose of a CJSWR is to assist courts in determining the most appropriate disposal to impose on the offender. The report provides information on:
- personal background and circumstances of the offender;
- physical and mental health;
- alcohol or drug use;
- history of offending and response to previous disposals;
- attitude to current offence;
- assessment of risk of re-offending; and
- offers a preferred option ie monetary fine, probation etc, as to disposal.
A CJSWR is required before:
- a Community Payback Order can be imposed;
- a custodial sentence can be imposed on a person under 21 years of age;
- an individual can be sentenced to custody for the first time; and
- an individual under current social work supervision can be sentenced for a further offence.