The content analysis of the reports showed relatively little discrimination in relation to black, Asian, or white offenders. There was no overt racist language in the reports and no generalizations or stereotyping according to ethnicity. Neither was there evidence of pejorative accounts of social and cultural backgrounds that previous researchers had found. The contrast between reports for male and female defendants was much greater than the contrast between reports on defendants from different ethnic groups. One of the chief differences by offender gender related to references to stress, early childhood difficulties, and psychological difficulties. Explanations for offending behavior by women often referred to depression or emotional stress. As a corollary of this finding, more psychiatric reports were requested for women than for men. Overall, reports on women conveyed more vividly than those on men the features of their lives that rendered them vulnerable and under stress. This study identified organizational constraints that may lead to differences in the way probation officers conduct presentence investigations and compose presentence reports differently for males and females. 5 references