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  • Victim Impact Statement

    Travis County District Attorney’s Office Victim Services Division
  • Purpose and Importance:

    This Victim Impact Statement (VIS) will be used throughout the criminal justice system (by the prosecutor, the judge, and the parole board) to better understand the emotional/psychological, physical, and financial impact of the crime.

    The contact information you provide in this Victim Impact Statement is important and will be used to contact you if you wish to receive case information from:

    • Community Supervision and Corrections Department (probation);
    • Texas Department of Criminal Justice (prison); and
    • Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
  • Detailed Description of How the Victim Impact Statement Is Used Throughout the Criminal Justice Process:

    1. Crime Victims' Rights: You have crime victim rights if you are a:

    • Victim,
    • Parent/Guardian of a minor victim, or
    • Close relative of a deceased victim.

    2. Confidential Victim Contact Information Page:

    • Used by criminal justice professionals to contact you throughout the process.
    • Used to elect and exercise your right to be notified of court proceedings, probation, parole, release, and/or discharge.
    • Used by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to register adults who request notification from the TDCJ Victim Services Division, Integrated Victim Services System (IVSS), regarding the status of the offender while he/she is incarcerated in the TDCJ Correctional Institutions Division (prison) or on parole supervision.
    • By law, the Confidential Victim Contact Information page cannot be seen by the defendant or the defense attorney.
    • To make sure you are kept informed, you must notify the following departments, as applicable, if any of your contact information changes:
      • Victim Assistance Coordinator (see previous page for contact information) during the trial/prosecution phase;
      • Adult Probation: The county’s community supervision and corrections department. Contact information for all CSCDs are located here: https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/documents/CSCD_directory.pdf if defendant is sentenced to community supervision; or
      • TDCJ: TDCJ Victim Services Division 800-848-4284 or victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov if defendant is convicted and sentenced to prison.

    3. Victim Impact Statement Form:

    • Victims have the right to submit a Victim Impact Statement. The Victim Impact Statement is a written, detailed account of the emotional/psychological, physical, and financial impact of the crime on the victim(s) and/or family members. This document can be used to explain your feelings such as loss, frustration, fear, and/or anger, as well as any physical or monetary damages due to the crime. Only you can provide this vital information.

    Know How Your Victim Impact Statement Is Used

    Prosecutor:

    • Considers your Victim Impact Statement before entering into a plea bargain agreement.
    • Considers your Victim Impact Statement to assist with determining the restitution amount to request (if applicable).

    Judge:

    • Considers your Victim Impact Statement before imposing a sentence; the Victim Impact Statement is not considered by a jury.
    • Considers your Victim Impact Statement before a plea bargain agreement is accepted.
    • Considers your Victim Impact Statement to determine the restitution amount (if applicable).

    Defense:

    • May request to review your Victim Impact Statement, excluding the Confidential Victim Contact Information page
    • In certain circumstances, the defense attorney, with court approval, can introduce testimony or other information alleging a factual inaccuracy in the statement.

    Community Supervision (Probation):

    • Considers your Victim Impact Statement for notification purposes.

    Texas Department of Criminal Justice:

    • Uses your Victim Impact Statement to provide notification and information regarding the defendant, if he or she is sentenced to prison.
    • Adults can register for this service by completing the Confidential Victim Contact Information page, which is a part of the attached Victim Impact Statement.
    • Victims can also use the form to indicate their preference for the TDCJ to prohibit the defendant from contacting them.

    Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles:

    • A parole panel will consider your Victim Impact Statement prior to voting whether or not to release the offender to parole supervision.
    • Considers the Victim Impact Statement when executive clemency petitions are received, including pardon requests and death penalty cases.

     

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  • Section 1: Notification/No Contact (18 years of age or over)

    To Be Completed by Victim, Parent/Guardian or Close Relative
  • The information on this page is CONFIDENTIAL and will be used by criminal justice professionals to contact you throughout the process. This includes notifying you about court proceedings, community supervision (probation), and parole, release or discharge if the defendant is sent to prison. You may choose to complete only this page for notification purposes.

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  • Section 2: Confidential Victim Contact Information

    Before returning the victim impact statement, be sure to check your preferences in section 1 and review and sign the final document. If you Move or change any of your contact information, contact your victim assistance coordinator, the community supervison and corrections department (Probation), or the Texas department of criminal justice victim services division.
  • Person Submitting this Statement

    To Be Completed by Victim, Parent/Guardian or Close Relative
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  • Please provide the contact information of someone who will know how to contact you.

  • Victim Impact Statement

    Answer only as many questions as you wish. Please do not relate any information about the crime itself; these facts are available in other reports.
  • To Be Completed by the Victim Assistance Coordinator

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  • To Be Completed by the Victim, Parent/Guardian or Close Relative of the Victim

  • Emotional/Psychological Impact

    Use this section to discuss your feelings about what has happened to you as a result of the crime and how it has affected your general well-being.
  • Physical Injury

    Use this section to discuss any physical injuries suffered as a result of the crime. 
  • Financial Loss

  • Losses you have incurred as a result of the crime may include medical and dental care, emergency transportation, property loss or damages, loss of income from work, counseling, crime scene cleanup, moving or changing residence, funeral costs, and other costs of this nature.

    You may want to begin keeping a log of your financial loss as soon as possible after the crime occurred to include any receipts and records you have. In the event of a conviction, the prosecutor or judge may use this information to determine if any restitution – funds paid by the offender and owed to the victim – may be ordered or you may be contacted for more up-to-date information. Please keep copies for your own records. 

  • If you have not, call 800-983-9933 or apply at https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/crime-victims/crime-victims-compensation-program/apply-crime-victims-compensation

  • Agreement

    The information in this Victim Impact Statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
  • Clear
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  • Crime Victim Rights

    Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 56.01 – Definitions

    • (1) “Close relative of a deceased victim” means a person who was the spouse of a deceased victim at the time of the victim’s death or who is a parent or adult brother, sister, or child of the deceased victim.
    • (2) “Guardian of victim” means a person who is the legal guardian of the victim, whether or not the legal relationship between the guardian and victim exists because of the age of the victim or the physical or mental incompetency of the victim.
    • (2-a) “Sexual assault” means an offense under Section 21.02, 21.11 (a) (1), 22.011, or 22.021, Penal Code.
    • (2-b) “Sexual assault examiner” and “sexual assault nurse examiner” have the meanings assigned by Section 420.003, Government Code.
    • “Victim” means a person who is the victim of the offense of sexual assault, kidnapping, aggravated robbery, trafficking of persons, or injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual or who has suffered personal injury or death as a result of the criminal conduct of another.

    Article 56.02 - Crime Victims’ Rights

    • (a)  In addition to the rights enumerated in Article 56.02, if the offense is a sexual assault, the victim, guardian of a victim, or close relative of a deceased victim is entitled to the following rights within the criminal justice system:
    • (1)  if requested, the right to a disclosure of information regarding any evidence that was collected during the investigation of the offense, unless disclosing the information would interfere with the investigation or prosecution of the offense, in which event the victim, guardian, or relative shall be informed of the estimated date on which that information is expected to be disclosed;
    • (2)  if requested, the right to a disclosure of information regarding the status of any analysis being performed of any evidence that was collected during the investigation of the offense;
    • (3)  if requested, the right to be notified:
    • (A)  at the time a request is submitted to a crime laboratory to process and analyze any evidence that was collected during the investigation of the offense;
    • (B)  at the time of the submission of a request to compare any biological evidence collected during the investigation of the offense with DNA profiles maintained in a state or federal DNA database; and
    • (C) of the results of the comparison described by Paragraph (B), unless disclosing the results would interfere with the investigation or prosecution of the offense, in which event the victim, guardian, or relative shall be informed of the estimated date on which those results are expected to be disclosed;
    • (1)  if requested, the right to counseling regarding acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

    • (2)  for the victim of the offense, testing for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, antibodies to HIV, or infection with any other probable causative agent of AIDS; and

    • (3)  to the extent provided by Articles 56.06 and 56.065, for the victim of the offense, the right to a forensic medical examination if, within 120 hours of the offense, the offense is reported to a law enforcement agency or a forensic medical examination is otherwise conducted at a health care facility.

    • (b)  A victim, guardian, or relative who requests to be notified under Subsection (a)(3) must provide a current address and phone number to the attorney representing the state and the law enforcement agency that is investigating the offense.

    • The victim, guardian, or relative must inform the attorney representing the state and the law enforcement agency of any change in the address or phone number.

    • (c)  A victim, guardian, or relative may designate a person, including an entity that provides services to victims of sexual assault, to receive any notice requested under Subsection (a)(3).

    • (d)   This subsection applies only to a victim of an offense under Section 20A.02, 20A.03, 21.02, 21.11, 22.011, 22.012, 22.021, 42.072, or 43.05, Penal Code. In addition to the rights enumerated in Article 56.02 and, if applicable, Subsection (a) of this article, a victim described by this subsection or a parent or guardian of the victim is entitled to the following rights within the criminal justice system:

    • (1)  the right to request that the attorney representing the state, subject to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, file an application for a protective order under Article 7A.01 on behalf of the victim;

    • (2)  the right to be informed:

    • (A)  that the victim or the victim’s parent or guardian, as applicable, may file an application for a protective order under Article 7A.01;

    • (B)  of the court in which the application for a protective order may be filed; and

    • (C)  that, on request of the victim or the victim’s parent or guardian, as applicable, and subject to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, the attorney representing the state may file the application for a protective order;

    • (1)  if the victim or the victim’s parent or guardian, as applicable, is present when the defendant is convicted or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision, the right to be given by the court the information described by Subdivision (2) and, if the court has jurisdiction over applications for protective  orders that are filed under Article 7A.01, the right to file an application for a protective order immediately following the defendant’s conviction or placement on deferred adjudication community supervision; and

    • (a)  if the victim or the victim’s parent or guardian, as applicable, is not present when the defendant is convicted or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision, the right to be given by the attorney representing the state the information described by Subdivision

    • (2). A victim of an offense under Section 20A.02, 20A.03, or 43.05, Penal Code.

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