![]() ![]() The first such statement in the United States was presented in 1976 in Fresno, California, and was passed as law in California in 1982, because of Doris Tate's concern that any members of the Manson family cult that killed her daughter, Sharon Tate, in 1969 might obtain parole. In civil cases, a victim impact statement may be used to determine how much is awarded to the plaintiff. ![]() Allowing suggestions on punishment or sentence can create a false hope of the eventual sentence and undermine the notion of restorative justice. Among other reasons, this is because the sentencing process is solely the domain of the judge who considers many more factors than harm to victims. Others expressly forbid any proposal or suggestion on punishment or sentencing. Some jurisdictions permit statements to express what they deem to be an appropriate punishment or sentence for the criminal. They can also discuss the impact the crime has had on their ambitions or plans for the future, and how this also impacted their extended family. Some jurisdictions allow for attaching medical and psychiatric reports that demonstrate harm to the victim. In general terms, the person making the statement is allowed to discuss specifically the direct harm or trauma they have suffered and problems that have resulted from the crime, such as loss of income. ![]() In the circumstance of death, some jurisdictions have described victim impact statements from family members as "irrelevant" to sentencing but not "unimportant" to the process: they are valued for restorative purposes but cannot differentiate punishment for causing death. ![]() This is because it is seen as unprincipled that different punishments for death are given according to the how much the victim is missed, or conversely that someone's death is relatively less harmful if they have no family. In some jurisdictions there are very different rules on how victim impact statements from family members may be regarded. In cases of crimes resulting in death, the right to speak is extended to family members. It has also been suggested they may confront an offender with the results of their crime and thus aid rehabilitation.Īnother purpose of the statement is to inform a court of the harm suffered by the victim if the court is required to, or has the option of, having regard to the harm suffered by the victim in deciding the sentence. From the victim's point of view it is regarded as valuable in aiding their emotional recovery from their ordeal. It is seen to personalize the crime and elevate the status of the victim. One purpose of the statement is to allow the person or persons most directly affected by the crime to address the court during the decision making process. Part of the sentencing process in criminal lawĪ victim impact statement is a written or oral statement made as part of the judicial legal process, which allows crime victims the opportunity to speak during the sentencing of the convicted person or at subsequent parole hearings. ![]()
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