Social enquiry reports have become the focus of central government attention in Scotland as a means of reducing the use of custody, and the quality of these reports is believed to be influential in decisions on whether to impose a custodial sentence. To assess the value of social inquiry reports, a study was conducted to explore the relationship between the quality of social inquiry reports provided to a Scottish court and the use of custody. The study sample consisted of 669 respondents, and data covered the 1996-1998 period. Analysis indicated some impact of social inquiry reports on custody rates. As the quality of these reports decreased, the custody rate increased. Poor quality reports appeared to contribute to the likelihood of an offender receiving a custodial sentence. Coverage of information in social inquiry reports was important to sentencing officials, and lack of information tended to influence decision-makers away from community disposals and toward the use of custody. Study results suggest report writing skills have a significant influence on sentencing decisions. 31 references and 6 tables