Victim Impact Statements: Their Effects on Court Outcomes and Victim Satisfaction

The study was conducted in Bronx County, New York Supreme (felony) Court. A total of 293 victims of felony crimes were randomly assigned to one of three groups. In one group, victims were interviewed, and an impact statement was written and immediately distributed to the prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge. In a second group, victims were interviewed to assess impact, but no statement was written. The third group was a control group in which no interview was conducted and no statement was written. Victims were interviewed 1 month after group assignment and again upon case disposition to determine their satisfaction with the justice system. Sentences, special conditions of sentences, and other case data were obtained from criminal justice files. There was no evidence that the use of victim impact statements resulted in harsher sentences nor that it slowed case processing. Neither was there evidence that the use of impact statements improved victim satisfaction with the justice system or resulted in sentences with enhanced sensitivity to the harm done victims. 4 tables, 4 figures, appended study forms, and 40 references (Author abstract modified)