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Independent Court reports services

Providing expert psychological and s 27 background and cultural reports for offenders before sentencing 

PURPOSE

To recalibrate the scales of justice by helping to create the most equitable sentencing outcomes. 

We achieve our purpose by assembling one of the largest teams of the most qualified report writers in New Zealand, and by offering our services on a pro bono basis to those most in need, in order to bring about meaningful change by giving a voice to those in need. 

We provide comprehensive training of the highest calibre to our culturally diverse team. All of our reports undergo rigorous quality control procedures. We also offer a seven-day turnaround urgent service.

We offer the most efficient service in preparing the most compelling psychological and s 27 reports in New Zealand. 

Offender interviewing ​| Report writing ​| Seven-day turnaround urgent service ​|

 ​| Nationwide service

Industry Insights

The recent Supreme Court guidance on s 27 reports in Berkland v R [2022] NZSC 143 on 7 December 2022 is both timely and welcomed.

The guidance help better achieve s 27's three-purpose framework of community engagement, eliciting offender background and exploration of sentencing options.

We are wholeheartedly committed to helping the sentencing judge establish the causative contribution of the offender's background to the offending through our s 27 reports.

The full judgment can be found below:

Why choose us

Cultural sensitivity and competence

Our report writers possess the appropriate skill and knowledge specific to various cultures and have the capacity to meaningfully communicate in cultural settings other than their own. We utilise cues gathered from subtle cultural variation in our clients' beliefs and activities to improve cross-cultural communication. We appreciate the values, beliefs and norms characteristic of all cultural and ethnic groups and attune our behaviour accordingly. 

Quality assurance

Our reports undergo rigorous quality assurance procedures that ensures the final report is semantically and substantively immaculate. 

Balancing offenders' rights with victims' rights

A reliable report produced by best practices in psychological interviewing methodologies ensures the authenticity of the reports. It captures compelling narratives while reducing uncorroborated and speculative narratives. This results in the most equitable sentencing outcomes that reduces offenders' sentences while upholding victims' rights. 

Our team

Our report writers possess the appropriate skill and knowledge specific to various cultures and have the capacity to meaningfully communicate in cultural settings other than their own.  

Parallel Lines
... ingrained, systemic poverty resulting from loss of land, language, culture, rangatiratanga, mana and dignity are matters that may be regarded in a proper case to have impaired choice and diminished moral culpability. Where these constraints are shown to contribute causatively to offending ... they will require consideration in sentencing.

Zhang v R [2019] NZCA 507 at [159]. NZ Court of Appeal

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