Victim Impact Statements

[meesterperfect]

So what do you think?
You know how in court before sentencing the victims family members and friends get to speak to the convicted person?
What do you think of that?
Personally I don't care for it. I don't think the convicted person should have to go through that.
They have been convicted and they will serve a sentence and pay for their crime.......should they really be forced to sit there while people yell at them and/or lay a guilt trip on them?
Sometimes they put on a show in the hopes of the convicted getting more time.
To me its unnecessary and also adds a Jerry Springer Show type element to the court process.
And if you knew a victim would you like to address the person convicted in court?
Whats your opinion, we'd like to know.



http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Victim+Impact+Statement&aq=f

 

[Atar554]

Before everyone starts posting against you saying "why do you care what the convicted person is going through?"

I'd like to mention that someone who does a seriously heinous crime likely has a serious lack or complete lack of empathy or sympathy for anyone other than themselves.

Any impact normal emotions and even consequences would have on a normal person are likely ineffective for the purpose of "teaching someone a lesson". I think it's honestly just for the victim to get a chance to shout in the face of someone who likely doesn't give a shit and won't ever. It's some closure and eliminates potential regret there might be for having never told off the person that butchered your loved ones perhaps.

 

[meesterperfect]

Before everyone starts posting against you saying "why do you care what the convicted person is going through?"

I'd like to mention that someone who does a seriously heinous crime likely has a serious lack or complete lack of empathy or sympathy for anyone other than themselves.

Any impact normal emotions and even consequences would have on a normal person are likely ineffective for the purpose of "teaching someone a lesson". I think it's honestly just for the victim to get a chance to shout in the face of someone who likely doesn't give a shit and won't ever. It's some closure and eliminates potential regret there might be for having never told off the person that butchered your loved ones perhaps.

thanks, great post
And I do feel for the families, probably more than most when it comes to crime.
But I think your right and I was gonna mention that....Closure.
Its for closure I guess, but isn't that something more suitable for a therapists office than a court of law?

 

[Connor Macleod]

I'd like to mention that someone who does a seriously heinous crime likely has a serious lack or complete lack of empathy or sympathy for anyone other than themselves.

It's rather pointless. It won't change what happened and it's very unlikely to have any effect on the convicted person. After a conviction, victims and their families usually have some semblance of relief, but allowing them to confront the convicted would just dredge up feelings and anxieties, making it harder to move on. Victims and their families would be better off speaking with the judge, asking for the maximum penalty.

 

[Atar554]

It's rather pointless. It won't change what happened and it's very unlikely to have any effect on the convicted person. After a conviction, victims and their families usually have some semblance of relief, but allowing them to confront the convicted would just dredge up feelings and anxieties, making it harder to move on. Victims and their families would be better off speaking with the judge, asking for the maximum penalty.

You're right it won't change anything ultimately. But emotions don't run on logic. The emotional pain and sense of loss doesn't dare acknowledge that the feelings of loss and the expression of those feelings to the culprit is "pointless". It's only seeking and outlet.

You're right on the impact statements dredging up old feelings. But there's also the idea that you get to tell someone just how poorly you think of them. That's a rare occurrence. Something we've all wished for ourselves I'd imagine; even for small shit when a bully picked on us in school and didn't have the words at that moment to defend ourselves.

It's important to remember too that in many criminal trials the family has to either testify or comes and watches the proceedings, which obviously includes evidence, reenactments and portrayls of what actually went down. All of which they had to sit through for months or even years in some cases, silently.

thanks, great post
And I do feel for the families, probably more than most when it comes to crime.
But I think your right and I was gonna mention that....Closure.
Its for closure I guess, but isn't that something more suitable for a therapists office than a court of law?

Perhaps therapy would be best, but I don't think at that time most victim's families have had the time or inclination to take time out for their own mental health. It's a chance to say how you feel and perhaps takes some of the venom out of the situation overall.

 

[Marlo Manson]

I think Atar was correct in stating that its a sense of relief for the victims famly and friends, it's a burden off there shoulders, when they are able to confront the perpetrator of crimes, that in some cases are so barbaric that its hard for the families to ever feel normal again no matter the severity or the nature of the crime, sure whatever (the victims family or friends) say or do may not affect the guilty person responsible for the crime committed against the victim or there family, but sooner or later that guilty person has that experience of whatever the victims family said or did constantly ringing in there ears, or they dream about what happened in court, I do believe even the hardest, coldest MF'ers ever, @ some point and time, remember (sooner or later) whatever happened in the courtroom, a persons character or cannot be controlled in there dreams or there conscious 100% of the time. (sooner or later, they pay for there crimes, either mentally or physically or perhaps both)

I think its a necessary procedure for the victims family too be able too voice there disgust, I would feel so cheated no matter the sentence if I were not allowed to voice my feelings / remind some POS of shit, scum of the earth MF'er how they not only took the victims life or innocence, but how they burden, destroy, complicate, ruin, not just the victim, but also the victims family and friends lives as well. :2 cents:

 

[bahodeme]

I think that Victim's Impact Statements wouldn't work on the crimes as rape, murder, etc. But if someone is convicted of involuntary manslaughter or vehicular homocide where that person was speeding or drunk, then the statements might have an effect on that person because injuring or killing that person was not the intent. :2 cents:

 

[Petra]

The purpose of the VIS is to help the court make a decision on sentencing the individual in most jurisdictions.

It doesn't have a constitutional basis, but it's been found to not be unconstitutional so it's allowed. I think in a lot of jurisdictions it's limited to the victims themselves unless the case is murder then family members can speak on behalf of the victim.

And personally, I think this is a good exercise when it comes to sentencing. I think the guilty party should have to sit there and listen to how their crime has affected the victim and their families. They should have to hear about the pain and the suffering. Most probably won't care since they don't have a shred of humanity left in their soul, but maybe, just maybe it'll make some folks think in case they ever make it out.

 

[Ulysses31]

Obviously we don't want the courts descending into chaos so maybe a pre-prepared statement could be read on the behalf of the victims family by a lawyer. Understandably tensions are running high and people want to vent but courts are supposed to be quiet and orderly and should remain as such. I think if people do that in British courts they are thrown out in order to maintain the integrity of what are centuries old courts that wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the sacrifice of so many over the centuries..

 

[Supafly]

Having worked as a lay judge for a couple of years, I find it is important in a therapeutic way for the victim, to vent their frustration and all the hurt and pain and after leaving the courtroom, they feel a LOT better.

I have not too much sympathy for people who commit crimes feeling bad in court :2 cents:

 

[meesterperfect]

The purpose of the VIS is to help the court make a decision on sentencing the individual in most jurisdictions.

It doesn't have a constitutional basis, but it's been found to not be unconstitutional so it's allowed. I think in a lot of jurisdictions it's limited to the victims themselves unless the case is murder then family members can speak on behalf of the victim.

And personally, I think this is a good exercise when it comes to sentencing. I think the guilty party should have to sit there and listen to how their crime has affected the victim and their families. They should have to hear about the pain and the suffering. Most probably won't care since they don't have a shred of humanity left in their soul, but maybe, just maybe it'll make some folks think in case they ever make it out.

well by that point of view would a person who has a lot of friends and family life have more value than a person who has none?

the law is or at least should be black and white.
commit crime x get punishment x..........who the victim was should have no bearing, if so thats not equal justice.

 

[mrtrebus]

The purpose of the VIS is to help the court make a decision on sentencing the individual in most jurisdictions.

It doesn't have a constitutional basis, but it's been found to not be unconstitutional so it's allowed. I think in a lot of jurisdictions it's limited to the victims themselves unless the case is murder then family members can speak on behalf of the victim.

And personally, I think this is a good exercise when it comes to sentencing. I think the guilty party should have to sit there and listen to how their crime has affected the victim and their families. They should have to hear about the pain and the suffering. Most probably won't care since they don't have a shred of humanity left in their soul, but maybe, just maybe it'll make some folks think in case they ever make it out.

I agree, if only I was allowed to do that when at court facing the heartless man who stole my teddy bear. . .if only.