The Influence of Victim Gender and Emotional Expression in Victim Impact Statements on Legal Judgments and Punishment Decisions
Journal: Scholarworks (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
Year: 2021

Victim impact statements (VISs) are written or oral statements detailing the effects a crime has had on a victim. While the practice of having victims present VISs at sentencing hearings has generated much debate for over 25 years, the effects of this practice on victims, defendants, and legal decision-makers remain poorly understood. Prior research suggests that a victim’s emotional expression can affect how victims are perceived, and the legal judgments made in response to their statements. Th