Victim Impact Statements in Criminal Trials
Under Pennsylvania law, a crime victim may provide an impact statement to the Court at the time of sentencing.
Impact statements offer victims an opportunity to persuade the judge regarding appropriate sentencing, as well as the ability to confront their perpetrator and describe how their actions adversely affected their lives.
Victim impact statements may be provided after a trial. They may also be given after a defendant has accepted a plea agreement even when the terms of sentencing have been agreed upon by the prosecutor.
It is unclear whether these statements have much influence over judges.
It should be noted that a criminal-court judge may not rubber-stamp the agreed-upon sentencing terms offered in a plea deal.
Spivak Law Firm handles all criminal-defense matters with a special focus on domestic-violence defense. Typical charges include: assault, harassment, terroristic threats, stalking, reckless endangerment, and PFA violations.
For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
In the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, Pennsylvania expanded the mandatory