QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES REPRESENTED 20 PROBATION OFFICERS AND 41 MAGISTRATES (RESPONSE RATES OF 78 AND 39 PERCENT RESPECTIVELY. WHEREAS THE PROBATION OFFICERS TENDED TO SUGGEST THAT THE COURT SEEK A PSYCHIATRIC OPINION IN CASES WHERE THE DEFENDANT HAD A KNOWN PSYCHIATRIC HISTORY, THE MAGISTRATES APPEARED TO REGARD APPEARANCE AND DEMEANOUR IN COURT AS BEING OF MORE IMPORTANCE AS CRITERIA FOR REMANDS. BOTH GROUPS CONSIDERED THAT SEX OFFENDERS AND THOSE INVOLVED IN DRUG ABUSE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED PSYCHIATRICALLY, BUT THESE VIEWS ARE NOR REFLECTED IN THE ACTUAL PRACTICE OF THE COURTS. A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF MAGISTRATES CONSIDERED THAT SHOPLIFTING OFFENSES MERITED PSYCHIATRIC INQUIRY AND INDICATED A GREATER DEGREE OF CONCERN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY WELCOMED PSYCHIATRIC HELP IN DIFFICULT DECISIONS. EIGHTY-SIX PER CENT OF THE PROBATION OFFICERS, AS COMPARED TO 73 PER CENT OF THE MAGISTRATES WERE SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICES PROVIDED. HOWEVER, BOTH GROUPS SUGGESTED THAT MORE SPECIAL AND SECURITY UNITS WERE REQUIRED AND THAT A SPEEDING-UP OF THE EXAMINATION PROCESS WAS ALSO NECESSARY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)