Victim Impact Statement
According to the National Center for Victims of Crime (2012), a victim impact statement, now allowed in all 50 states, provides victims with a way to explain how a crime has impacted their lives. This information can then be used by a judge “to help determine an offender’s sentence” or by a parole board to determine parole. In this Discussion, you will locate and analyze a victim impact statement.
To prepare:
Search the Internet and locate a victim impact statement (video or written).
Reflect on the background and relevant facts of the case for which the statement was prepared.
BY DAY 5 OF WEEK 9
In a minimum of 300 words, briefly describe the background of the case, including:
Criminals involved
Victims involved
Crime committed
Apparent impacts
Other relevant information to provide context
Summarize the main points made by the victim in his or her statement. If you were the judge in this case, how would this victim impact statement influence your sentencing? Finally, discuss whether you think victim impact statements are a necessary part of a criminal case. Be sure to provide a link to the video or site in your initial post.
Victim Impact Statement
Author’s Name:
Institution of Affiliation:
Course Name:
Instructor’s Name:
Date:
Victim Impact Statement
Over the years, there have been a series of criminal activities. When the suspect is arrested, there are instances where the victim is allowed to give a victim impact statement where the individual explains how the crime has affected them, thereby helping the judge to make a judgment. Even though there are various Victim Impact Statements, the one at Ari Goldstein's sentencing was outstanding since it highlighted sexual assault, one of the crimes that have affected most victims, but they opted to keep quiet.
The following criminal activity happened at Temple University at the Alpha Epsilon Pi. Ari Goldstein, who was President of this fraternity. The victim of this attempted sexual assault was a first-year student at this University. The President invited this freshman to the upstairs to smoke marijuana (Luciano, 2020). However, rather than smoking marijuana, Goldstein had other plans to force her to have sex with him. The victim explains how he pushed her, restrained her to the couch, and started to kiss her. He also pushed her to him and started to thrust his hips to her face and her head towards his crotch.
This assault hurt her life since she acknowledged that she was hurting despite this ordeal happening when she was a freshman and when the ruling was made when she was a senior. For example, she highlighted that she has suffered whenever she has an intimate experience. Moreover, she highlighted that that experience affected her ability to trust. The victim also highlighted that despite the assault two months ago, she hesitated to report it since she had to consult her family and ...