Previous Article
News
Pre-Sentencing Reports in the Irish Criminal Justice System
There has been limited research on the use of pre-sanction reports in Ireland and what impact they have on sentencing this far, according to the research of Niamh Maguire and Nicola Carr. Although, on average 10,000 reports are made by the Irish Probation Service each year. Time for a change! Their report, ‘Individualising Justice: Pre-Sentence Reports in the Irish Criminal Justice System’, was published earlier this year.
These pre-sentence reports provide background information on the defendant and the circumstances of their offending. They also include an assessment of risk of re-offending, and, where relevant, an assessment of risk of causing serious harm, as well as proposals regarding what might be helpful to the management of a community sanction and the rehabilitation of the offender.
Importance
The practice regarding pre-sentence reports provided by the Probation Service to the courts has evolved over many years, and the reports play an important role in the criminal justice system. The research report is an important step in examining the role and function of pre-sentence reports in sentencing in courts in Ireland and provides important insights and observations. It also points to specific subjects and themes that merit further exploration.
Objective
The main objective of Mcguire and Carr, was to investigate the role of pre-sentence reports in sentencing. They investigated the circumstances in which pre-sentence reports are used by judges, explored the construction of pre-sentence reports by probation officers and their interpretation by judges and looked at the correspondence between pre-sentence reports and judicial sentencing.
Click here to read the research report.
Related News
Keep up to date with the latest developments, stories, and updates on probation from across Europe and beyond. Find relevant news and insights shaping the field today.
Recap
CEP-Europris, Probation in Europe
Recap of CEP and EuroPris Meeting with Catalan Authorities
04/12/2025
On 3 December, on the occasion of the joint CEP and EuroPris Workshop on Transition from Prison to Probation held at the Centre for Legal Studies and Judicial Training (CEJFE) in Barcelona, representatives from both international organisations met with senior officials from the Catalan Ministry of Justice to present their current work, reflect on ongoing cooperation, and explore shared priorities for future collaboration.
Recap
CEP-Europris
Workshop on Transition from Prison to Probation: Continuity of Care and Control
03/12/2025
On 2–3 December 2025, 71 participants from 22 European countries and jurisdictions attended the Workshop on Transition from Prison to Probation: Continuity of Care and Control, jointly organized by CEP and EuroPris. The two-day workshop aimed to explore strategies for ensuring continuity of care and control during the transition from prison to probation.
Recap
Research
Recap: online Expert Group meeting on Research
02/12/2025
On Friday, 28 November 2025, the annual meeting of the Expert Group on Research took place online.
Probation Journal
Domestic violence, Gender-based violence
New evaluation on whole family approach to domestic abuse
26/11/2025
Interventions Alliance has published a new evaluation of a Hub coordinated on behalf of police forces in the south of England, focused on tackling violence against women and children through a whole family approach. The Hub supports victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse and works across policing, health and social services.
New
Probation in Europe
New EU Judicial Training Strategy 2025-2030 adopted
26/11/2025
New updates from the European Commission highlight key priorities for judicial training in Europe, alongside new tools supporting transparency and access to data.
New
Gender-based violence
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls
25/11/2025
Today, 25 November, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. It is a global reminder, recognised by UNESCO and the wider international community, of the urgent need to prevent violence, support those affected by it, and strengthen collective action. The day also opens the 16 Days of Activism, a worldwide campaign that calls for sustained engagement to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.