The relationship between victim impact statements and judicial decision making: An archival analysis of sentencing outcomes.
Gena K. Dufour,
Marguerite Ternes,
Veronica Stinson
Abstract:Objective: Victim impact statements (VISs) are testimonies that convey the emotional, physical, and financial harm that victims have suffered as the result of a crime. Although VISs are often presented to the court at sentencing, it is unclear whether they impact judicial decisions regarding sentencing. Hypotheses: We did not have any formal a priori hypothesis but instead examined five research questions. The first two explored whether the relationship between the victim and the offender, as well as the type … Show more
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