美国缓刑判决前评估机制

Pre-Sentence Investigation Report In Granting Probation

现今的缓刑制度相较于十九世纪初确立的缓刑制度已大有不同。缓刑考验期起初设定的目的仅是为了犯罪情节显著轻微的特定罪犯,现在的缓刑制度已将其适用范围扩大至大多数非暴力罪犯,并提供一系列配套服务满足罪犯的需求以确保社区的安全。目前财产类、毒品类和不当驾驶犯罪等非暴力罪犯显然更容易获得缓刑。那么,什么是缓刑?为什么缓刑使用如此频繁?将该类罪犯置于缓刑中又需要履行何种判决前评估的程序?这是本文需要解决的问题。

Today’s probation looks very different from where it started in the nineteenth century.Initially reserved for the"best of the best"probation now serves a significant range of offenders and offers an array of services to address the offender’s needs and ensure the community’s safety.As might be expected,probation tends to be granted more prevalently for nonviolent offenders,predominantly for property,drug,and DUI crimes.So,what is probation,why is it used so frequently,and what is the process by which so large a proportion of offenders are placed on probation?