Direct answer: Prepare a dated, organized set of records that supports your background, treatment history, education, work, rehabilitation and proposed support plan. Give it to defense counsel for review before anything is submitted to probation.
Start with the facts that need support
A presentence interview can cover many parts of a life in a limited period. A folder full of unrelated documents makes those facts harder to find. In his ABA and Federal Bar Association analysis, Joseph De Gregorio emphasizes documentation that can be checked, rather than favorable descriptions without a source. Start by listing the statements you expect to make and the records supporting each statement.
Separate available records from missing records
A completed course, an enrollment confirmation and a plan to register are different facts. Label them accordingly. For treatment, identify the provider and available records; counsel and the clinician should decide what is appropriate to disclose. Do not gather every sensitive document into a public-facing packet simply because it might sound helpful.
Make the handoff usable
Use a short index with the document date, issuer, relevant subject and any unresolved question. If a document conflicts with your recollection, flag the conflict for counsel. Quietly removing the inconvenient record does not resolve it. The purpose of preparation is an accurate account, not an artificially perfect one.
Preparation checklist
Background: education and employment records available; gaps identified.
Treatment: provider, dates and disclosure question for counsel.
Rehabilitation: activity, completion status and independent verifier.
Support plan: housing, work and named people able to confirm arrangements.
Should I send everything directly to the probation officer?
Coordinate submission with defense counsel. The documents that exist, the documents counsel reviews and the documents ultimately submitted may not be the same set.
Published analysis behind this resource
ABA Criminal Justice Magazine: The Mitigation Revolution: A Practical Guide to Engineering Drastic Federal Sentence Reductions (Summer 2026)
Federal Bar Association: Judicial Sentencing Discretion After Booker: What the Pre-Sentence Report Actually Determines (July 28, 2026)
This resource adapts preparation principles from Joseph’s published analysis. Publication does not imply publisher endorsement of Sentencing Advocacy Group.
Continue with the related SAG guide, explore the published work, or read Client Results & Experiences.
For the next task, read building a personal-history timeline. If you need individual preparation support, see the scope of our Federal PSR Preparation service.
Discuss the next preparation step
Joseph De Gregorio has been retained in more than 500 federal cases. Contact Sentencing Advocacy Group to discuss preparation alongside defense counsel.