Victim participation in sentencing: Rhetoric and reality

Abstract

The revival of interest in victims of crime during the 1970s and 1980s has resulted in various reforms to alleviate the problems for victims resulting from crime and from encounter with the criminal justice system. The most recent reforms have centered on the integration of victims in the criminal justice process, in an attempt to reduce their feelings of alienation and perceptions of injustice. The central achievement has been the victim impact statement. This article examines the development of the concept of victim impact statement, its rationale, its various forms, and the experience with implementing this right. It also examines recent research that has addressed the concerns and objections to implementing victims' rights to participation in sentencing. The implications of the use of the victim impact statement for the criminal justice system and the victim movement's goals are drawn and discussed.