Episode 02a: What’s the Point of Victim Impact Statements?

Do victim impact statements influence sentencing in Canadian courts? In cases involving impaired driving in Canada, victims and families are often invited to speak during a sentencing hearing, but many wonder whether their words truly matter in the criminal justice system or under the impaired driving laws designed to hold offenders accountable.In this episode of LIVID!: Learning, Insights, and Voices on Impaired Driving, host Amanda Bickell explores the purpose and impact of victim impact statements after delivering her own in court on February 25, 2026, during the sentencing of the impaired driver who killed her 22-year-old daughter, Abbey.Victim impact statements became part of Canada’s Criminal Code in 1988 and are now protected under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (2015), which guarantees victims the right to participate in the justice system and have their statements considered during sentencing.But many victims still ask: Do victim impact statements actually matter?Amanda shares what it was like to prepare and read her statement in a Vancouver courtroom. She describes the emotional labour of writing about devastating loss, speaking directly to the judge and the offender, and the moment when victims’ voices filled the courtroom.In Abbey’s case, 21 victim impact statements were submitted, far above Canada’s average participation rate of about 11%. Research suggests these statements may have limited influence on sentencing outcomes, but they can help judges understand the real harm caused by crime, humanize victims in legal proceedings, and may even reduce the likelihood of reoffending.More importantly, victim impact statements can help victims reclaim their voice. Amanda reflects on the unexpected benefits of the process: honouring Abbey’s life, strengthening relationships among those who loved her, and opening conversations about grief that had been too painful to share.While they may not influence the sentence, victim impact statements can transform the courtroom from a place focused only on legal facts into one where the human cost of impaired driving is heard.In Part 2, Amanda shares the victim impact statement she read in court.LIVID! explores impaired driving in Canada through real stories, research, and honest conversations about loss, justice, and change.Listener discretion advised.ReferencesRoberts, Julian V. Victim Impact Statements: Lessons Learned and Future Priorities. Government of Canada. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/victim/rr07_vic4/p1.html#ftn1Government of Canada. Victims Rights in Canada: Victim Impact Statements. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/victims-victimes/factsheets-fiches/victim-victime.htmlGovernment of Canada. Victim Impact Statements. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/victims-victimes/sentencing-peine/vis-dv.htmlBritish Columbia Review Board. Information for Victims. https://www.bcrb.ca/info-for-victims/MADD Canada. Victim/Survivor Services. https://madd.ca/pages/programs/victimsurvivor-services/Government of Canada. Use of Victim Impact Statements at Sentencing and Parole. https://www.victimsweek.gc.ca/res/r58.htmlLePage, Kamelle. Canadian Victim Impact Statements. Saint Mary’s University, 2022. https://library2.smu.ca/bitstream/handle/01/30905/LePage_Kamelle_MASTERS_2022.pdfKahlon, Opinder Singh. Effects of Victim Impact Statements on Sentencing Outcomes. Justice Institute of British Columbia, 2024. https://jibc.arcabc.ca/_flysystem/repo-bin/2024-12/jibc_3559.pdf