Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The purpose of this study was to identify probation officers' ideologies of crime and to describe the aims and factors which are associated with the different recommendations probation officers make in their social inquiry reports.

Main Topics:

Variables 1. Self-completed questionnaire (completed in respect of each report prepared by Probation Officer) Degree of punishment current offence would attract in court, effect of previous criminal record, rating of offender's personal/social need, recommendations made and reasons, actual sentence, whether sentence and recommendation agreed, assessment of own role, degree of physical violence in family, explanaton of offence (fixed choice, e.g. social background, low intelligence, chance, personal problems). 2. Interview Schedule (conducted with the respondents about a sample of their cases). Details of offence and circumstances, reasons for and opinion of offence, offender's reasons, whether respondent was concerned with punishment or treatment, factors judged to be relevant (e.g. family, personality, health, social factors, previous record), assessment of respondent's role, opinion of actual sentence, factors affecting content of report, number of interviews conducted. Questions were also asked on the operation of the intake team system. N.B. The data from this part of the study may be difficult to use without access to the interview transcripts. Please refer to the depositor's reports to the E.S.R.C.

1: Quota sample 2: Last report from each of 10 respondents which fitted certain criteria concerning

Face-to-face interview

Postal survey