Pre-sentence reports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: An analysis of language and sentiment

Coulter, D; Rahim Mohammed Forkan, A; Kang, Y-B; Trounson, J; Anthony, T; Marchetti, E; Shepherd, S

Pre-sentence reports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: An analysis of language and sentiment

Coulter, D Rahim Mohammed Forkan, A Kang, Y-B Trounson, J Anthony, T

Marchetti, E Shepherd, S

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Publisher:: Australian Institute of Criminology
Publication Type:: Report
Citation:: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 2022, pp. 1-11
Issue Date:: 2022-11-30

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Coulter, D
dc.contributor.author	Rahim Mohammed Forkan, A
dc.contributor.author	Kang, Y-B
dc.contributor.author	Trounson, J
dc.contributor.author	Anthony, T https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0652-0731
dc.contributor.author	Marchetti, E
dc.contributor.author	Shepherd, S
dc.date.accessioned	2023-07-06T11:13:07Z
dc.date.available	2023-07-06T11:13:07Z
dc.date.issued	2022-11-30
dc.identifier.citation	Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 2022, pp. 1-11
dc.identifier.isbn	978 1 922478 79 5
dc.identifier.issn	1836-2206
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/171269
dc.description.abstract	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.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Australian Institute of Criminology
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP180100759
dc.relation.ispartof	Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.52922/ti78795
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1602 Criminology, 1801 Law
dc.subject.classification	4402 Criminology
dc.subject.classification	4804 Law in context
dc.subject.classification	4805 Legal systems
dc.title	Pre-sentence reports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: An analysis of language and sentiment
dc.type	Report
utslib.for	1602 Criminology
utslib.for	1801 Law
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Law
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - SIC - Strengthening Indigenous Communities
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	true
dc.date.updated	2023-07-06T11:13:06Z
pubs.confidential	false
pubs.place-of-publication	Canberra
pubs.publication-status	Published
dc.location	Canberra

Abstract:

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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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/171269