(1) Every judicial district shall have the authority to appoint one (1) or more presentence officers to make such reports to a circuit court as it deems desirable as to the past conduct of any defendant that appears before the circuit court.
(2) The appointment of presentence officers shall be in writing and entered upon the records of the circuit court.
(3) The presentence officer shall have such jurisdiction within the judicial district as is stated in the order of the appointment.
(4) One (1) presentence officer may be appointed chief presentence officer for the judicial district.
(5) The presentence officers shall be paid from the counties composing the judicial district in equal monthly increments as approved by the quorum court of each county but not to exceed thirteen thousand five hundred dollars ($13,500) per year.
(6) Federal funds disbursed under the direction of the Arkansas Crime Commission [abolished] may be used to pay all or any portion of the salaries of the presentence officers.