Section 2: Creating Your Victim Impact Statement
If you have decided to prepare a Victim Impact Statement, you will want to give it substantial thought before presenting your final version. Whether you are presenting your statement in written or oral form, you will probably want to tell the court much more about the crime’s impact than court time will allow. Begin by writing down everything that comes to mind. You can go
Take all the time you need.
back later and choose the most important parts. Creating a Victim Impact Statement is a lot of work and is usually physically taxing and emotionally draining. Attempting to write about the impact of a crime can bring it all back again. Go slow and take all the time you need to reflect on what you want to say. Remember not to repeat evidence that has or will be presented in court. Your job is to tell the court how those facts affect you and/or your loved one now. Your Victim Impact Statement will become an official part of the court record if it is written, and an oral statement will be transcribed into the court record in most states. Those with access to the file include the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, prison officials, probation, and parole officers. In fact, the official court record is public information and can be accessed by anyone unless it is sealed by the judge for a specific reason. However, your address and phone number are not required on statements.
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