Q: He was in a car with some children and it was a gun in there and everybody in the case died except for him. (Philadelphia, PA)

A: A Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (PISI) is a sentencing aid, prepared by a probation officer to assist the court in understanding the full background and current circumstances of the defendant before sentencing. A PSI probation officer will be assigned. He or she will talk to witnesses, victims, the defendant, gather records and take statements from anyone who can provide relevant information that will help the judge determine an appropriate sentence. The defendant and counsel have the right to review the report prior to sentencing and can object to any portions of it that they dispute.