Helping Victim Impact Statments work for vicitms
Published: Thursday, April 07, 2011
Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) is delighted to make available our booklets on Victim Impact Statements for both victims and their supporters this Friday 1st April 2011.
RCNI Legal Director, Caroline Counihan said, 'Victim Impact Statements are an important part of the criminal justice system and they can be of benefit to victims of crime and their loved ones. Last year trained RCNI member advocates accompanied survivors through 24 court cases, spending over a month in courts with victims. Feedback from those clients and from advocates prompted the RCNI to compile these booklets.
Making a Victim Impact Statement can be empowering for victims. It can also be a source of confusion and anxiety. Any victim of crime who is entitled to make a Victim Impact Statement or their supporter will find these booklets useful both within and outside the official victim support organisations.
We have taken great care to give accessible and accurate information explaining the purpose, content and limitations of Victim Impact Statements. Other topics covered include the relevant court procedure, the people who can make a Victim Impact Statement, and the offences covered by the legislation on Victim Impact Statements. They describe the topics which may be covered by a Victim Impact Statement, as well as those which should always be excluded.
The RCNI would encourage all victim advocates and organisations to make these booklets available to victims who are in a position to be making Vicitm Impact Statements.
Notes:
Both booklets may be downloaded free of charge from the RCNI website, www.rcni.ie
- Victim Impact Statements/Reports: A Booklet for Victims of Crime
- Victim Impact Statements/Reports: A Guide for Victim Supporters
This project also brings into effect the recommendation in the "Rape and Justice in Ireland" research, (Hanly et al, Liffey Press, 2009), which advocated the production and distribution of a "booklet giving directions on what is inappropriate to mention in a victim impact statement"
RCNI wishes to express its gratitude for the generous support on this project of the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime.