Magistrates are reaching desperation point as reports prepared by probation services providing background information for sentencing have all but dried up. Probation Services warned in August that because of chronic short staffing, court-ordered social inquiry reports would take up to six weeks to prepare. But now magistrates say they are receiving virtually none. "It is progressively and rapidly getting worse,'' admitted Magistrate the Wor.

Cheryl-Ann Mapp. "At the moment we are getting zip. It is an age-old problem that is getting worse. "We used to get the reports in three weeks, now it takes six and often we don't even get them then.'' At present, some convicted offenders are waiting up to two months in prison before they are sentenced.

"It is not nice for anyone who is waiting with their life in their hands,'' Mrs. Mapp said. "People are going to Probation Services with appointments and can't be seen.'' On Tuesday Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis was forced to sentence a man on the basis of a psychiatric report because a social inquiry report was not ready. Yesterday a Probation Services employee declared the department had "reached a crisis situation'' due to chronic under staffing. Asked about the situation, Shadow Minister of Health and Social Services Mr. Nelson Bascome urged probation officers to "take a stand''.

"Probation officers need to take a stand as in several civil service departments,'' he said. "They should be standing up and not taking it anymore.'' He added probation services had been understaffed since changes in the justice system brought about by the Tumin report meant judges opted for more alternative sentencing and community services orders. "They don't have the manpower to carry it out fully,'' he said. "Manpower has been short for the last few years. "The Minister did state he would address the problems. He has recognised that they are short staffed to deal with changes in the justice system brought about by the Tumin Report.'' Mr. Bascome said he hoped this year's Budget would bring some relief to the overburdened probation staff.

Minister of Health and Social Services the Hon. Quinton Edness admitted there were "shortcomings''. But he could not say when extra staff would be taken on. "I am aware of the problems at Probation Services,'' he said. "I am aware Probation Services needs to be better resourced than in the past because the job has grown so tremendously and expanded.'' He said Government's management services are currently evaluating the situation in terms of resourcing, but said a formal process was necessary to properly evaluate the needs of the services. "I am all for continuing to look at Probation Services and develop a whole new philosophy over the next year or so,'' Mr. Edness said. He admitted there was growing need for their services in a number of new areas, particularly relating to violence and abuse.