A victim impact statement is a statement from a crime victim given to the court before a sentence is rendered. It can be written, oral, or videotaped and includes the financial, emotional, and social impact of the crime on the victim. The statement humanizes the crime and promotes victim recovery. It can also influence the judge’s decision on the sentence.
A victim impact statement is a statement from the victim of a crime that is typically provided to the court before a sentence is officially rendered. In some regions, a judge must consider the victim’s impact statement in his final judgment and opinion. A victim impact statement can also play a role in a parole hearing or other court hearings and decisions. The goal is to give victims an active role in the criminal process, in hopes of personalizing crimes and promoting victim recovery.
Typically, a victim impact statement can be written or oral, and some courts allow videotaped statements. In the case of a murder trial, the victim’s impact statement usually comes from a closely affected family member, as the original victim is unable to speak in court. In some courts, statements from family or friends of the victim are also allowed in other cases, to personalize the crime and its impact on the victim.
Several things are included in a victim impact statement. The first, of course, is the financial, emotional and social impact of a crime on a victim. For example, someone who has been robbed might describe the difficulty he has had in replacing the stolen items. The statement may also include the victim’s interpretation of potential sentences for the crime, and in some regions the victim is permitted to respectfully suggest an appropriate punishment. This punishment can also include restitution. Finally, many victims also include brief highlights of their lives and personalities to illustrate that they are human beings who have been hurt by the crime in question.
Two main functions are served by the victim impact statement. The first is the humanization of a crime before the court. Thinking about how a crime has changed a victim’s life can be very important, especially in a busy courthouse where a judge hears about a number of serious crimes every year. A judge may decide to issue a heavier or lighter sentence based on what the victim has to say, as some victims have been known to ask for leniency.
Recovery is the second aspect of a victim’s impact statements. Many victims greatly appreciate the opportunity to communicate the crime to an attentive public, and some cite it as a very important step in the recovery process. Since the sentenced person also hears the statement, it may be the victim’s first opportunity to address the person who hurt them directly.
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