Pre-sentence reports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: An analysis of language and sentiment
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Author(s)
Coulter, Darcy
Forkan, Abdur Rahim Mohammed
Kang, Yong-Bin
Trounson, Justin
Anthony, Thalia
Marchetti, Elena
Shepherd, Stephane
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2022
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Pre-sentence reports (PSRs) provide information to courts on an individual’s background, circumstances, risks, needs and plans. Research has found that PSRs focus heavily on risk of recidivism, while identification of prosocial cultural and community factors is limited. This study sought to describe the language and sentiment in these reports. We studied PSRs written for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people sentenced by the mainstream County Court of Victoria and the Koori Court Division of the County Court of Victoria. Findings indicate that risk-related words are more prevalent than words associated with strengths ...
View more >Pre-sentence reports (PSRs) provide information to courts on an individual’s background, circumstances, risks, needs and plans. Research has found that PSRs focus heavily on risk of recidivism, while identification of prosocial cultural and community factors is limited. This study sought to describe the language and sentiment in these reports. We studied PSRs written for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people sentenced by the mainstream County Court of Victoria and the Koori Court Division of the County Court of Victoria. Findings indicate that risk-related words are more prevalent than words associated with strengths and culture in PSRs submitted to both courts. While the frequency of positive and negative sentiment was low in PSRs for both courts, those for the Koori Court were more positive in sentiment.
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View more >Pre-sentence reports (PSRs) provide information to courts on an individual’s background, circumstances, risks, needs and plans. Research has found that PSRs focus heavily on risk of recidivism, while identification of prosocial cultural and community factors is limited. This study sought to describe the language and sentiment in these reports. We studied PSRs written for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people sentenced by the mainstream County Court of Victoria and the Koori Court Division of the County Court of Victoria. Findings indicate that risk-related words are more prevalent than words associated with strengths and culture in PSRs submitted to both courts. While the frequency of positive and negative sentiment was low in PSRs for both courts, those for the Koori Court were more positive in sentiment.
View less >
Journal Title
Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice
Issue
659
Copyright Statement
© 2022 Australian Institute of Criminology. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Courts and sentencing
Law in context
Social Sciences
Criminology & Penology
RISK
FUTURE