Statistical Bulletin: Crime and Justice Series: Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics, 2010-11

3 Social Enquiry Reports ( SERs)

(Tables 1 to 4&6 to 9,Chart 2)

3.1 Due to the introduction of a new national template, a new style report called the "Criminal Justice Social Work Report" has been introduced to replace the Social Enquiry Report. By the beginning of February 2011, the CJSW report had been introduced in all council areas, although introduction did happen earlier in some areas. All of the figures quoted in this bulletin for SERs therefore include some CJSW reports. In future bulletins, reference will be made to the term " CJSW reports" rather than " SERs".

3.2 In 2010-11, a total of 44,000 SERs were requested by the Courts, a decrease of 7 per cent from the 2009-10 total of 47,100. A total of 37,500 SERs were submitted by local authorities to the Courts (excluding letters sent in lieu of reports). This was a decrease of 8 per cent from the 40,800 submitted in 2009-10 ( Table 1).

3.3 The fall at Scotland level in the number of SERs requested and number of SERs submitted is the net result of a number of varying changes at local authority level, with most showing decreases and a few showing increases. Further information is provided in the extra datasets on SERs at community justice authority ( CJA) / local authority ( LA) level which accompany this publication.

SERs, excluding Supplementary Reports

3.4 A total of 32,000 SERs (excluding Supplementary Reports) were submitted to the Courts in 2010-11, a decrease of 8 per cent compared to the 2009-10 total of 34,700 ( Table 2). The majority (83 per cent) of these reports in 2010-11 were made in respect of males ( Tables 2 and 7).

3.5 SERs were most common amongst young adults, accounting for 260 per 10,000 population of 18 to 20 year olds in 2010-11 ( Chart 2). The incidence of SERs was also relatively common amongst 16 to 17 year olds (167 per 10,000 population) and 21 to 25 year olds (184 per 10,000 population). These figures were substantially higher for males, with the highest for males aged 18 to 20 (447 per 10,000 population) ( Table 2). It should be noted that one person can be the subject of more than one SER within a year.

3.6 Males who were the subject of SERs tended to be younger than females, with 25 per cent of reports for males and 17 per cent of those for females relating to under 21 year olds ( Table 2).

3.7 The majority of SERs related to the unemployed (56 per cent). Those employed and self employed accounted for 22 per cent, while 15 per cent of SERs related to those not seeking employment ( Table 3).

3.8 Amongst those where the ethnic group was known and able to be provided, 97 per cent of SERs submitted in 2010-11 related to offenders who were white ( Table 4).

SERs and Preferred Options

3.9 One of the main purposes of a SER / CJSW report is to offer information and advice which can help the court decide between the available sentencing options. The National Outcomes and Standards for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System guidance on criminal justice social work reports state that: "The report should highlight the worker'sprofessional analysis. … Some Sentencers may regard it as inappropriate for the report to offer any recommendation as to what the court might impose as a disposal. On the other hand, in some courts, such suggestions, when they form part of the overall professional analysis, are regarded as good practice. … The author of the report can offer their professional assessment of whichrelevantsentencing options may maximise the opportunity for the individual to reduce reoffending and change their behaviour. … A more detailed report is likely to be indicated (and may require a further period of deferment) where the risk of re-offending is high and/or risk of serious harm is identified."

Chart 2 Number of SERs, 2008-09 to 2010-11

Notes relating to SERs in Chart 2:
1. Excludes supplementary reports.
2. 16-17 year old category includes a small number of reports relating to clients aged under 16 years.

3.10 Probation was the preferred option in 26 per cent of SERs, with just under half of these being with standard conditions. Seventeen per cent of reports gave Community Service as the preferred option which tended to be more common for males (18 per cent) than for females (12 per cent). Sixteen per cent gave a deferred sentence of 3 months or more as the preferred option and 7 per cent of SERs suggested a monetary penalty. Custody was rarely suggested, featuring as the preferred option in just under 4 per cent of reports. Fifteen per cent of reports suggested some other form of preferred option (including a Restriction of Liberty Order ( RLO) or a deferment for a DTTO assessment). Sixteen per cent of SERs in 2010-11 gave no preferred sentencing option - similar to 2009-10 ( Table 7).

3.11 The main outcome in 23 per cent of SERs was Probation, closely followed by Custody and Community Service (both 17 per cent). The largest other outcomes categories were Deferred Sentence (10 per cent) and Monetary Penalty (9 per cent) ( Table 8).

3.12 Males were more likely to receive Custody (18 per cent) or Community Service (17 per cent) than females (10 and 15 per cent respectively). Conversely, Probation with Standard Conditions was more common amongst female offenders, accounting for 10 per cent of SERs for females and 7 per cent for males.

3.13 Outcomes and preferred options can be grouped into 4 broad categories ( Table 9): Custodial Sentence, Community Sentence (Probation, Community Service, Restriction of Liberty Orders and Deferments for DTTO Assessments), Monetary Penalty and Other/not known (covering all other preferred options and outcomes). Using this grouping, the main outcome corresponded to the preferred option in 50 per cent of all SERs. For SERs where the preferred option was a Custodial Sentence, this turned out to be the main outcome in 79 per cent of cases for males and 71 per cent for females. Community Sentences were the main outcome in 60 per cent of SERs for males and 69 per cent of reports for females where a Community Sentence was the preferred option.