This part outlines the procedures to be followed when the enquiries needed to complete the appendix are not carried out by the probation officer completing the report (e.g. the pre-sentence report, parole assessment report, HD re-sentencing report).
Definitions
The writer of the parent report is referred to as the originating probation officer.
The probation officer who completes the appendix enquiries is referred to as the enquiry probation officer.
Summary of responsibilities
The originating probation officer is responsible for:
- interviewing the offender
- writing the body of the pre-sentence report
- identifying the appropriate enquiry probation officer and requesting that enquiries be completed, and
- finalising the report.
The enquiry probation officer is responsible for:
- visiting and assessing the proposed residence/address
- identifying, interviewing and assessing all relevant occupants, and
- returning all relevant information (in the appendix) to the originating probation officer.
When to send
These procedures may be required for a number of reasons. These include situations where:
- the proposed residence/address is in a location serviced by another CPPS office, or
- local arrangements are such that the two functions (completion of the parent report, and home visits/appendix enquiries) are carried out by different probation officers/teams.
Sending the enquiry
The originating probation officer:
- completes the Suitability of the Offender section of the appendix
- makes notes in all other sections of the appendix where relevant (these notes are to help form the interview questions for the enquiry probation officer)
- completes a Request for Enquiries memo and advises of the partly completed appendix
- emails the memo to the relevant CPPS office, and
- records in the case notes on the offender header, that the memo has been emailed to the enquiry probation officer.
In the memo
The following information should be contained in the Request for Enquiries memo:
- offender details
- name of offender
- date of Birth
- PRN/Drivers Licence
- sentencing details
- enquiry details
- proposed address
- name of proposed occupant(s)
- relationship to offender
- date enquiry sent, and
- date enquiry information is required by.
Receiving the enquiry
The enquiry probation officer:
- visits and assesses the proposed address
- identifies and interviews the relevant occupants
- completes all sections of the appendix, except the Suitability of the Offender section
- emails the originating probation officer to advise of the completed appendix and
- records in the report case notes on the offender header - that the memo has been emailed back to the originating probation officer.
Finalising the appendix
Upon receiving the enquiry information, the originating probation officer:
- finalises all sections of the appendix (where possible ensuring that all sections are complete and minimising duplication between the report documents)
- ensures that the style and content of the appendix is consistent with that of the parent report
- does not make significant changes to the content provided in the appendix by the enquiry probation officer, unless these changes have been discussed and agreed.
- takes ultimate responsibility for the final appendix that is presented to the court or the NZPB.
Note: If they have concerns about the information, the originating probation officer should consult the enquiry probation officer before making any major changes.
