Examples Of Purpose, Components And Victim Impact Statement

Purpose, Components and Victim Impact Statements Judges typically rely on presentence reports prepared by probation officers in drafting sentencing decisions. Probation officers usually prepare these reports during a several-week interval between the conviction and the date set for sentencing. The probation officer (or a social worker or psychologist working for the probation department) first interviews the defendant and checks the defendant’s criminal record. The probation officer usually gets input from the victim, the arresting officer, and the defendant’s family and friends. In addition to the information the probation officer gathers, the PSI also includes: (1) the circumstances of the offense; (2) the defendant’s personal history, including the defendant’s criminal record; and (3) the statement by the victim as to what the victim lost or how the victim suffered, sometimes called a victim impact statement. A victim does not have to offer an optional victim impact statement, but preparing a statement is used in consideration of aggravating and mitigation circumstances and also helps victims feel they have a voice in the criminal justice process that can lead to faster
An officer must gather a defendant’s version of the criminal act, motive for committing the crime, earlier criminal records (including juvenile records), personal and family history, education, employment history, health, past and present substance use, financial status, and military record. Judges don’t have time to investi¬gate the circumstances of individual cases, so they usually rely heavily on—and often rubber-stamp—sentencing recommenda¬tions in presentence reports. For this reason, it is critical for the defendant to make a positive impression on the probation officer preparing the report. The probation officer may prepare a report that justifies predetermined decisions rather than weighing the merits of an individual