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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>75041</law_id><section_number>19.2-299</section_number><catch_line>Investigations and reports by probation officers in certain cases</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-300</reference><reference>19.2-294.2</reference><reference>19.2-299.1</reference><reference>19.2-389.1</reference><reference>19.2-389.3</reference><reference>32.1-283.1</reference><reference>32.1-283.5</reference><reference>32.1-283.8</reference><reference>37.2-314.1</reference><reference>53.1-131</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="18">Sentence; Judgment; Execution of Sentence</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> When a person is tried in a <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court (i) upon a charge of <span class="dictionary">assault</span> and <span class="dictionary">battery</span> in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Assault and battery; penalty" href="/18.2-57/">18.2-57</a> or <a class="law" title="Assault and battery against a family or household member; penalty" href="/18.2-57.2/">18.2-57.2</a>, stalking in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Stalking; penalty" href="/18.2-60.3/">18.2-60.3</a>, sexual <span class="dictionary">battery</span> in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Sexual battery" href="/18.2-67.4/">18.2-67.4</a>, attempted sexual <span class="dictionary">battery</span> in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Attempted rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, aggravated sexual battery, and sexual battery" href="/18.2-67.5/">18.2-67.5</a>, or driving while intoxicated in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a>, and is adjudged guilty of such charge, unless waived by the court and the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> and the attorney for the Commonwealth, the court may, or on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> shall; or (ii) upon a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> charge not set forth in subdivision (iii) below, the court may when there is a <span class="dictionary">plea</span> agreement between the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> and the Commonwealth and shall, unless waived by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> and the attorney for the Commonwealth, when the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> pleads guilty or <span class="dictionary">nolo contendere</span> without a <span class="dictionary">plea</span> agreement or is found guilty by the court after a <span class="dictionary">plea</span> of not guilty or <span class="dictionary">nolo contendere</span>; or (iii) the court shall when a person is charged and adjudged guilty of a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> violation, or conspiracy to commit or attempt to commit a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> violation, of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibited criminal street gang participation; penalty" href="/18.2-46.2/">18.2-46.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Recruitment of persons for criminal street gang; penalty" href="/18.2-46.3/">18.2-46.3</a>, <a class="law" title="Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose" href="/18.2-48/">18.2-48</a>, clause (2) or (3) of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Threatening, attempting, or assisting in such abduction; penalty" href="/18.2-49/">18.2-49</a>, &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Rape" href="/18.2-61/">18.2-61</a>, <a class="law" title="Carnal knowledge of child between thirteen and fifteen years of age" href="/18.2-63/">18.2-63</a>, <a class="law" title="Carnal knowledge of certain minors" href="/18.2-64.1/">18.2-64.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Carnal knowledge of a person detained or arrested by a law-enforcement officer or an inmate, parolee, probationer, juvenile detainee, pretrial defendant or posttrial offender, or confidential informant; penalty" href="/18.2-64.2/">18.2-64.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Forcible sodomy" href="/18.2-67.1/">18.2-67.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Object sexual penetration; penalty" href="/18.2-67.2/">18.2-67.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Aggravated sexual battery; penalty" href="/18.2-67.3/">18.2-67.3</a>, <a class="law" title="Infected sexual battery; penalty" href="/18.2-67.4_1/">18.2-67.4:1</a>, <a class="law" title="Attempted rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, aggravated sexual battery, and sexual battery" href="/18.2-67.5/">18.2-67.5</a>, <a class="law" title="Punishment upon conviction of third misdemeanor offense" href="/18.2-67.5_1/">18.2-67.5:1</a>, <a class="law" title="Taking, detaining, etc., person for prostitution, etc., or consenting thereto; human trafficking" href="/18.2-355/">18.2-355</a>, <a class="law" title="Receiving money for procuring person; penalties" href="/18.2-356/">18.2-356</a>, <a class="law" title="Receiving money from earnings of male or female prostitute; penalties" href="/18.2-357/">18.2-357</a>, <a class="law" title="Crimes against nature; penalty" href="/18.2-361/">18.2-361</a>, <a class="law" title="Person marrying when spouse is living; penalty; venue" href="/18.2-362/">18.2-362</a>, <a class="law" title="Sexual intercourse by persons forbidden to marry; incest; penalties" href="/18.2-366/">18.2-366</a>, <a class="law" title="Placing or leaving spouse for prostitution; penalty" href="/18.2-368/">18.2-368</a>, <a class="law" title="Taking indecent liberties with children; penalties" href="/18.2-370/">18.2-370</a>, <a class="law" title="Taking indecent liberties with child by person in custodial or supervisory relationship; penalties" href="/18.2-370.1/">18.2-370.1</a>, or <a class="law" title="Sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children; penalty" href="/18.2-370.2/">18.2-370.2</a>, or any attempt to commit or conspiracy to commit any <span class="dictionary">felony</span> violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Attempted rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, aggravated sexual battery, and sexual battery" href="/18.2-67.5/">18.2-67.5</a>, <a class="law" title="Punishment upon conviction of certain subsequent felony sexual assault" href="/18.2-67.5_2/">18.2-67.5:2</a>, or <a class="law" title="Punishment upon conviction of certain subsequent violent felony sexual assault" href="/18.2-67.5_3/">18.2-67.5:3</a>, direct a <span class="dictionary">probation officer</span> of such court to thoroughly investigate and report upon the history of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, including a report of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>&#x2019;s criminal record as an adult and available juvenile court records, any information regarding the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>&#x2019;s participation or membership in a criminal street gang as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/18.2-46.1/">18.2-46.1</a>, and all other relevant <span class="dictionary">facts</span>, to fully advise the court so the court may determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed. Unless the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> or the attorney for the Commonwealth <span class="dictionary">objects</span>, the court may order that the report contain no more than the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s criminal history, any history of substance abuse, any physical or health-related problems as may be pertinent, including any diagnoses of an intellectual or developmental disability as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/37.2-100/">37.2-100</a>, and any applicable sentencing guideline worksheets. This expedited report shall be subject to all the same procedures as all other sentencing reports and <span class="dictionary">sentencing guidelines</span> worksheets. The <span class="dictionary">probation officer</span>, after having furnished a copy of this report at least five days prior to sentencing to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> for the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> and the attorney for the Commonwealth for their permanent use, shall submit his report in advance of the sentencing <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> to the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> in <span class="dictionary">chambers</span>, who shall keep such report confidential. <span class="dictionary">Counsel</span> for the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> may provide the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> with a copy of the <span class="dictionary">presentence report</span>. The <span class="dictionary">probation officer</span> shall be available to testify from this report in open court in the presence of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, who shall have been provided with a copy of the <span class="dictionary">presentence report</span> by his <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> or advised of its contents and be given the right to cross-examine the investigating officer as to any matter contained therein and to present any additional <span class="dictionary">facts</span> bearing upon the matter. The report of the investigating officer shall at all times be kept confidential by each recipient, and shall be filed as a part of the record in the case. Any report so filed shall be made available only by <span class="dictionary">court order</span> and shall be <span class="dictionary">sealed</span> upon <span class="dictionary">final order</span> by the court, except that such reports or copies thereof shall be available at any time to any criminal justice agency, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/9.1-101/">9.1-101</a>, of this or any other state or of the United States; to any agency where the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> is referred for treatment by the court or by probation and <span class="dictionary">parole</span> services; and to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> for any person who has been indicted jointly for the same <span class="dictionary">felony</span> as the person subject to the report. Subject to the limitations set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Civil proceeding; rights of respondents; discovery" href="/37.2-901/">37.2-901</a>, any report prepared pursuant to the provisions hereof shall without <span class="dictionary">court order</span> be made available to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> for the person who is the subject of the report if that person (a) is charged with a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> subsequent to the time of the preparation of the report or (b) has been convicted of the <span class="dictionary">crime</span> or <span class="dictionary">crimes</span> for which the report was prepared and is pursuing a post-<span class="dictionary">conviction</span> remedy. Such report shall be made available for review without a <span class="dictionary">court order</span> to incarcerated persons who are eligible for release by the Virginia <span class="dictionary">Parole</span> Board, or such person&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Virginia <span class="dictionary">Parole</span> Board for that purpose. The <span class="dictionary">presentence report</span> shall be in a form prescribed by the Department of Corrections. In all cases where such report is not ordered, a simplified report shall be prepared on a form prescribed by the Department of Corrections. For the purposes of this subsection, information regarding the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>&#x2019;s participation or membership in a criminal street gang may include the characteristics, specific rivalries, common practices, social customs and behavior, terminology, and types of <span class="dictionary">crimes</span> that are likely to be committed by that criminal street gang. <a id="paragraph-269530" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-299/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> As a part of any presentence investigation conducted pursuant to subsection A when the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> for which the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> was convicted was a <span class="dictionary">felony</span>, the court <span class="dictionary">probation officer</span> shall advise any victim of such <span class="dictionary">offense</span> in writing that he may submit to the Virginia <span class="dictionary">Parole</span> Board a written request (i) to be given the opportunity to submit to the Board a written statement in advance of any <span class="dictionary">parole</span> <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> describing the impact of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> upon him and his <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> regarding the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s release and (ii) to receive copies of such other notifications pertaining to the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> as the Board may provide pursuant to subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Investigation prior to release; transition assistance" href="/53.1-155/">53.1-155</a>. <a id="paragraph-269531" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-299/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> As part of any presentence investigation conducted pursuant to subsection A when the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> for which the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> was convicted was a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> drug <span class="dictionary">offense</span> set forth in Article 1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use of terms &quot;controlled substances,&quot; &quot;marijuana,&quot; &quot;Schedules I, II, III, IV, V, and VI,&quot; &quot;imitation controlled substance,&quot; and &quot;counterfeit controlled substance&quot; in Title 18.2" href="/18.2-247/">18.2-247</a> et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2, the <span class="dictionary">presentence report</span> shall include any known association of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> with illicit drug operations or markets. <a id="paragraph-269532" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-299/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> As a part of any presentence investigation conducted pursuant to subsection A, when the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> for which the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> was convicted was a <span class="dictionary">felony</span>, not a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>, committed on or after January 1, 2000, the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> shall be required to undergo a substance abuse screening pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Substance abuse screening and assessment for felony convictions" href="/18.2-251.01/">18.2-251.01</a>. <a id="paragraph-269533" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-299/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 53-278.1; 1952, c. 233; 1972, c. 516; 1974, c. 121; 1975, cc. 371, 495; 1979, c. 286; 1980, c. 733; 1981, c. 263; 1983, c. 541; 1987, c. 676; 1989, c. 169; 1991, cc. 43, 229; 1992, c. 77; 1993, cc. 466, 492; 1994, 2nd Sp. Sess., cc. 1, 2; 1995, cc. 687, 778; 1997, c. 691; 1998, cc. 783, 840; 1999, cc. 891, 903, 913; 2001, c. 647; 2003, cc. 146, 613; 2004, cc. 308, 459, 819; 2005, cc. 188, 219, 631; 2006, cc. 99, 863, 914, 916; 2010, c. 223; 2017, c. 45; 2019, c. 107; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344, 345, 523, 540.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
