What is the purpose of a "victim impact statement"?

A victim impact statement serves to communicate how a crime has personally affected the victim's life, allowing the court to understand the emotional, psychological, and financial repercussions of the crime from the victim's perspective. This statement can include a variety of impacts, such as physical injuries, lost income, changes to daily life, and emotional distress. This detailed account helps the judge and jury appreciate the human side of the crime, thereby ensuring that the victim's voice is considered in the judicial process, particularly during sentencing.

The other choices do not align with the primary purpose of a victim impact statement. While proposing a sentence (the second option) and summarizing court proceedings (the fourth option) may play a role in the judicial process, they do not directly convey the personal impact on the victim. The first option, focusing on the defendant's prior criminal history, is also separate from the victim's experience and is typically more relevant to establishing the defendant's character or propensity to commit crimes rather than the effects of the current crime on the victim.