Forensic social reports as a writing intervention that produces meanings

Abstract

Forensic social reports are written intervention processes deployed by colleagues in their institutional spaces. In addition to constituting descriptive documents of social situations present in files and records, they are the written expression of an interventionist intention that seeks, through relevant information, to influence an operator’s decision‑making by shaping, expanding, or modifying their convictions on a matter or topic, in a certain direction rather than another.

This academic essay presents aspects to consider in order to reach consensus (always revisable) and provide this instrument with greater scientific validity, as required by the courts. The results of the research on twenty‑three (23) forensic social reports submitted by social workers from the Argentine provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén are presented. The analysis includes structural characteristics (nomination, demand, reason for intervention, and methodology), and analyzes qualitative contributions regarding the mediation and arbitration functions of social conflict.

The aim is to highlight the scientific qualities based on methodological rigor and the theoretical foundation of professional decisions, considering theory and methodology as pillars of the scientific work required by forensic work.