The Case of the Singing Canary

Abstract

Do harassed law enforcement officers sometimes imply that an offender will receive "special consideration" for probation in return for "singing" about others? If the offender "cooperates" and later comes to the probation officer with the belief that he "has probation coming," how does this affect their subsequent relationship? If the defendant's "singing" has resulted in convic tion of additional offenders, to what extent does this fact affect the probation officer's recommendation? If the defendant's in formation advanced the cause of law enforcement, but certain elements in his background militate strongly against granting probation, how significant is the "reward" factor to total case evaluation? Should the defendant's cooperation with law en forcement officers be set forth in the probation officer's report and thus become a matter of public record? If it cannot be made a part of the report but nevertheless tends to influence the probation officer's evaluation, on what grounds can the officer justify his recommendation to the judge?