victim impact statement
Harm described formally
A victim impact statement is a written or spoken account by a crime victim, describing how the offense affected them—physically, emotionally, and financially.
Typically presented during sentencing, it allows judges to consider the human cost beyond legal facts: Her victim impact statement moved the courtroom to tears.
Family members of deceased victims may also deliver one.
- final wordsTerminal utterance before death
- parole eligibilityQualification for supervised freedom
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- day in courtChance to present one's case
- restorative justiceConflict resolution through mutual healing
speaking out · closure · healing · healing process · grief · catharsis · trauma recovery · compensation claims · trauma · emotional toll · open wounds · court proceedings · sentencing hearing · restitution · mitigating factors · aggravating factors · community justice · psychological support
- courtroom speechclosing arguments, closing argument, summation, rebuttal, oral argument
- testimonyoral testimony, court testimony, sworn testimony, witness testimony, legal testimony
- Victim Rightsprotection orders, notification, protection, participation, privacy rights
- victim compensationcompensation claims, injury compensation
- sentencinglife sentence, life sentences, prison sentence, death row, consecutive sentences
- Sex Crimesrape, sexual assault, molestation, statutory rape, sexual battery
victim impact statementallocution
Formal speech, especially pre-sentencing
victim, victims, victimize, victimized, victimizing, victimization, impact, impacts, impacted