Review the defendant's criminal record. Describe any and all arrests, restraining orders or other interactions with the law, as well as any time he or she has spent either in jail or some form of rehabilitation. Primary source material for composing the review section of the PSIR include court documents such as dockets, plea agreements, medical records and parole records.
Interview the defendant. A standardized form generated and provided by the court dictates the exact questions and parameters of the interview. Most interviews attempt to gather anecdotal information about the defendant's past experiences with the law, as well as additional background information that could be relevant to the judge's sentencing decision.
Interview court officials and personnel who have had contact with the defendant, including the defense attorney, the prosecuting attorney and case agents. The purpose of the interviews with court officials is to ascertain the defendant's behavior and attitude during the pre-trial proceedings.
Identify potential grounds for departure from standard sentencing practices and procedures. For example, if defendants typically receive one to three years for a specific crime, but a probation officer identifies psychological and medical issues that could negatively impact an individual's ability to serve time, the probation officer should highlight those issues and recommend one to three years of monitored probation.
Articulate your specific sentencing recommendations to the court.