R.I. R. Juv. P. 3
Except in the case of an emergency detention, a petition shall upon submission to the court be referred to the Intake Department for preliminary investigation to determine whether the facts are legally sufficient to bring the child within the jurisdiction of the court and, if so, to determine whether the interests of the public or of the child require that further action be taken. The inquiry may include a preliminary investigation of the home and environmental situation of the child, the child's previous history, and the circumstances which were the subject of the petition. The report of any public agency, or of any private social agency licensed by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, may be accepted by the court for the court's consideration.
R.I. R. Juv. P. 3