What is a victim impact statement? Are these statements included in the parole release decision process? If so, how? Please explain. Are victims able to participate in parole hearings? If so, how? Please explain

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Written correspondence through a victim impact statement is the most common method of accepted correspondence from victims. A victim impact statement mentions how the crime has taken a toll physically, emotionally, financially, and/or psychologically on the victim and the victim's family. Many victim impact statements cite how the victim continues to experience psychological, physical, or financial difficulties as a direct result of the actions of the offender (Bernat, Parsonage, and Helfgott, 1994). States such as Alabama specify that impact statements should be confidential because of the concern that prisoners may attempt to further harm their victims for opposing the offender's release. Other states are more proactive, such as Arizona and Oklahoma, because they allow victims to veto (refuse) a parole release decision if the victim requested notification of the hearing but was not given a chance to contribute his or her opinion (Bernat et al., 1994).
The effects of victim participation in parole hearings are noteworthy. Releasing authorities report that appearance in person was the most persuasive form of victim testimony. Parole was refused in 43% of cases in which victim impact statements were present, but only 7% of cases were denied when victim statements were absent (Bernat et al.,1994). Victims, particularly those who suffered injury in violent offenses, who made a statement in person had a greater impact on keeping the offender incarcerated than victims who sent in a letter (Morgan and Smith, 2005; Smith, Watkins, and Morgan, 1997).