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Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act No. 75 of 2008)

Regulations

Regulations relating to Child Justice

Chapter 5 : Assessment of Child

27. Assessment report of probation officer

 

(1) The probation officer, when completing an assessment report referred to in section 40(1) of the Act, must—
(a) provide  enough   information  so  as  to  enable  the   recipient  of  the   report  to understand the conclusions reached and the recommendations made;
(b) indicate the information that was considered;
(c) explain how he or she arrived at the outcome of the assessment  or his or her recommendations;
(d) include the sources of the information;
(e) in a logical manner reflect the recommendations made;
(f) motivate any recommendation made in a matter that is appropriate pursuant to the information that was available and considered; and
(g) indicate, in the case of conflicting information, which information he or she relied on and the reasons.

 

(2) The   probation officer must, when completing the assessment report—
(a) have regard to the purpose of the assessment referred to in section 35 of the Act;
(b) ensure that the report contains information about the child's development and competencies, the child's history, the family circumstances, the circumstances surrounding the offence and the impact of the offence on the victim;
(c) express an opinion as to the possible reasons for the child having committed the offence;
(d) express an opinion as to the behaviour of the child and the extent to which the child has been influenced by person or peers;
(e) indicate the child's ability to be reintegrated into society; and
(f) indicate whether the child acknowledges responsibility for the offence.

 

(3) The assessment report must, where a recommendation referred to in section 40(1)(d) relating to the placement of a child has been made, be accompanied by Form 5 in which the information referred to in section 40(2) of the Act relating to accommodation and features of the child and youth care centre must be set out.

 

(4) The probation officer must, after having completed the assessment report, file a copy of the report and any attachments in the personal file of the child in question.