Real-Life Communication
Wendy J. Murphy is the director of a victim advocacy group. "The
ability to communicate effectively is very important, because victims need
information, and they need support," she says. "The manner and style of communication
often determines whether a victim is able to reach out for and utilize services."
She
adds that a good communicator can give victims the information they need "to
participate meaningfully in the criminal justice system."
One important
way a victim can participate is by providing the court with a victim impact
statement. This document is presented in court by the prosecutor. It explains,
in the victim's own words, what they lost and how the crime has changed their
life.
You are a victim advocate. You are helping a client compose an
impact statement. This statement will tell what injuries, both physical and
emotional, and financial damages the victim has suffered as a result of the
crime.
Your client, Mary Smith, is the victim of a drunken driver by
the name of B.J. Blue. When he slammed into her car on Feb. 3, her leg broke
in three places. Not only has she suffered a lot of physical pain, but her
doctor says her career is probably over. She was a ballet dancer, and on that
evening, she was on her way to rehearsal.
Her leg had to be operated
on, and her financial damages include $15,000 in medical bills. Her new car
was also totaled and she lost her job as a result of the wreck. With no income,
she had to move in with relatives.
What could Mary's impact statement
look like? In about 150 words, write a statement in first person, using all
of the information above.