Victim Impact Statements : Their Effect on Court Outcomes and Victim Satisfaction in New York, 1988-1990 / Robert C. Davis, Madeline Henley, Barbara Smith.

Format:

Datafile

Contributor:

Davis, Robert C.

Henley, Madeline.

Smith, Barbara.

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research.

Series:

ICPSR (Series) ; 9588.

ICPSR ; 9588

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Victims of crimes--New York (State)--New York.

Victims of crimes.

Victims of crimes--New York (State)--New York--Attitudes.

Sentences (Criminal procedure)--New York (State)--New York.

Sentences (Criminal procedure).

New York (State)--New York.

Genre:

Academic theses.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Edition:

ICPSR version.

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor, Mich. : Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 1991.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

data file

Summary:

The purpose of this data collection was to assess the effects of victim impact statements on sentencing decisions and on victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system. Victims were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: (1) Victims were interviewed, with an impact statement written and immediately distributed to the prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge on the case, (2) Victims were interviewed to assess impact but no statement was written, and (3) Victims were assigned to a control condition in which there was no interview or statement. Subsequent interviews evaluated victims' perceptions of their role in the proceedings and their satisfaction with the outcome. Data were also recorded on charges filed against the defendants (both the arraignment and final charges), sentences, and special conditions of sentences. Standard demographic information was gathered as well. The remaining variables fall into two categories. The first category includes questions about the defendant(s) in the case. For all defendants in each case (up to six per victim) the researchers recorded information on the nature and severity of the arraignment charges and final charges, and on the sentence received. Additional information was recorded for the first and second defendants in a case. This included information on special conditions of the sentence such as a drug treatment program or restraining order. Orders to pay restitution were noted. Also recorded was information on the defendant's status with the criminal justice system, including number of prior convictions and number of open cases against the defendant. Finally, whether the Victim Impact Statement appeared in the assistant district attorney's file on the case and whether the statement had been opened were noted. The second category of variables includes information about the victim's reactions to the crim... Cf.: http://dx.doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09588

Contents:

Part 1: Data File

Notes:

Title from ICPSR DDI metadata of 2004-10-30.

OCLC:

61163079

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.