How to Organize the Information

1. You gather as much information as possible so the court has as complete a picture of the offender as possible.
2. If possible be prepared to corroborate where possible statements or bits of information, for example, school or medical records.  Try to not make any assumption and if you can't verify the information you are giving to the court then be very clear that this is "unverified" information
3. Organize the information in a fashion that makes sense and gives the ‘narrative’ of the Offenders life.
4. Easiest to follow if your presentation to the Court is done chronologically regarding the Offenders life.
5. Then his environment in order of size his ‘community’ – ‘extended family’ – ‘immediate family’ – ‘himself’.

Gladue Tip: presenting in a well-organized and concise manner decreases the time it takes the Court to render a decision and it increases your credibility with the Courts

Information provided from interviewees should not, as much as possible, be elicited by leading questions asked of them.

Accurately sourced statements should be referenced in the report.

Information that cannot be verified independently should be identified as unverified with a brief explanation regarding your efforts to verify and why they were not successful.

Key is you want to make the information ‘accessible’ by the Court and easy to use and understand.
To fashion a just sentence that is restorative, the Court wants, and needs, to understand the information you are providing.

"You want to organize the information into what is ‘relevant’ and what ‘is not relevant’. Remember, in the end the information must tie to the Offender and what you are suggesting as a restorative justice sentencing options’.