Predispositional Reports for Juveniles

The predispositional report (PDR) for juveniles is the result of an investigative process conducted by an officer of the juvenile courts after the juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent (or, in adult court, convicted) but before the disposition (sentence) has been imposed. In this respect, the PDR is exactly parallel to the pre-sentence investigation (PSI) report process found in adult courts. Thus, the PDR is vitally important, as it may largely determine the final disposition that will be affixed by the judge. The court official who conducts this investigation may be a juvenile probation officer or an intake officer and frequently performs all functions interchangeably in the court, depending on need. Indeed, in some courts there is no real differentiation between the roles of intake and probation officers. What often transpires, especially in large cities as well as in offices that provide adult probation services, is that officers who are particularly good at writing write reports; officers who are good at revocations and enforcement more often perform those functions. This is called “functional specialization.” Some highly specialized offices may arrive at their reports using a collective or team-based process. Variously called a juvenile treatment screening team, evaluation team, or youth placement committee, such a team may include the probation officer, psychologists, police officers, educators, social workers, a public defender, and a prosecutor, as well as the offender and his or her parents. If appropriate, a guardian ad litem (legal guardian) or substance abuse expert may serve on a specific dispositional team. Such teams collectively, or the probation officer singly, may prepare a risk assessment, which will list and evaluate factors concerning the delinquent's dangerousness to the community and his or her problems in general. The risk assessment will be incorporated into the PDR.

The delinquent may be subject to various physical and psychological examinations after intake or following adjudication. These analyses may reveal physical or mental illnesses or various learning disabilities (LDs). Various forms of undiagnosed LDs are common among juvenile offenders. These problems often impact their academic performance and lead them eventually into disruptive and deviant behavior in and around school. Additionally, alcohol and substance abuse issues may be revealed. The outcome of these results, reported on the PDR, can help the judge arrive at a disposition that will help the delinquent resolve these issues, as well as provide security to the community at large.

The report itself will feature a lengthy exposition of the background facts concerning the instant offense. The severity of the offense is an important factor, but the context in which the offense occurred must be also considered. The question of collective behavior must be addressed: For example, was the delinquent act a product of group dynamics? The characteristics of the victim—such as age, gender, an involved teacher—are important. The involvement of a weapon, such as a knife or firearm, or membership in a gang will merit special mention and may constitute aggravating factors in the final disposition, as may the advanced age of the victim. At this juncture, the attitude of the delinquent toward the offense is important; for example, is he or she remorseful and interested in a constructive outcome?

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