The Criminological Assessment of Individual Cases

Abstract

The foundation of the assessment of the offender in the context of his social relationships consists of comprehensive and differentiated information on his development in life and his life pattern, as well as on his integration in his social environment. Although, in principle, as detailed information as possible should be aimed at, one should not simply collect a large amount of more or less random information. The investigations must be limited to collecting facts and impressions (based on circumstances) concerning the behavior of the subject in various situations in life and in the various social spheres and on developments in these social spheres, as well as — at least within certain limits — knowledge of the social environment of the subject relevant to the later analysis.