Victim impact statement template: a structure you can copy

What a victim impact statement template includes

A victim impact statement tells the court how the crime has affected you. It does not retell what happened. The court hears that through the evidence. Your statement covers what came after: your health, your feelings, your work, your money, your sense of safety.

Any impact statement template needs to cover the same ground. Your details and the offence at the top. A series of headings for each area of your life. A declaration and signature at the end.

Free victim impact statement template

Copy this structure into a blank document. Write under each heading in your own words. Skip any heading that does not apply to you.

Victim Impact Statement

Name:
Type of offence:
When the harm occurred:
Name of offender (if known):

How I felt at the time

Emotional wellbeing

Physical health

Financial impact

Relationships

Daily life and routine

Sense of safety

Spiritual and cultural wellbeing

Who I was before this happened

What I want the court or assessor to know

Declaration

I declare that this victim impact statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed:
Name:
Date:

Print your finished statement, sign and date the declaration by hand, and initial each page at the bottom.

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Why the blank template is the hard part

A template solves the structure problem. It does not solve the writing problem.

Most people who open a template like this are about to write about the worst thing that has happened to them. Memory goes patchy under stress. The blank space under each heading can feel as hard as a blank page. Some people write ten pages and lose the impact in the detail. Others freeze at the first heading and manage a single line.

Then there is the worry about getting it wrong. Saying too much. Saying the wrong thing. Not sounding the way a court expects. None of that worry helps you write, and all of it arrives the moment the template is open.

A guided alternative to the template

Justice Draft turns this template into ten plain questions, asked one at a time. You answer in your own words, at your own pace. You can skip any question. There are no timers.

When you finish, your answers become a formatted statement, delivered to you in Word and PDF. You print it, sign it, and it is ready to hand in.

Justice Draft is free. The tool gives you structure and prompts, not a script. Every word in the finished statement is yours.

Template or guided form: which suits you

Use the template if you are comfortable writing and want full control of the page. It also works well if someone is supporting you and can type while you talk.

Use the guided form if the blank page is the barrier. One question at a time is easier to face than nine empty headings.

Either way, the finished statement carries the same weight. Courts care about what you say, not which tool you used to say it.

Is there an official template in Australia?

Yes, in most states. The police officer in charge of your case or the prosecutor will usually give you the current form when they ask for your statement. If your state has an official form, use it. The template above still helps, because you can draft your answers first instead of composing straight onto the official document.

How the rules differ between states

The structure of a victim impact statement is much the same everywhere in Australia. The rules around it are not. These are the differences most likely to affect you.

Victoria. Your statement must be in the form of a statutory declaration, signed in front of an authorised witness such as a lawyer or police officer. Victims of Crime Victoria publishes the official form. You can attach medical reports, and you can ask for some or all of your statement to be read aloud in court. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in Victoria, click here.

New South Wales. There are formal requirements on format and content under the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act, and the rules differ for primary victims and family victims. Victims Services publishes a guide with templates. You can attach photos, medical reports and receipts. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in New South Wales, click here.

Queensland. Victim Assist Queensland publishes a step by step guide. You sign and date your statement, then give it to the prosecutor, who usually hands it to the judge. You can ask to read it aloud, and the judge decides. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in Queensland, click here.

Western Australia. Your statement can describe the injury, loss or damage you suffered, but it must not say anything about the sentence you think the offender should get. You can attach a report from a doctor or counsellor who treated you. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in Western Australia, click here.

South Australia. You are usually given the chance to read your statement aloud in court. If you would rather not, someone else can read it for you, or the court can consider it without it being read. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in South Australia, click here.

ACT. The Director of Public Prosecutions publishes a guide and template. Close family members, carers and partners can make a statement too, with the victim's agreement. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in the ACT, click here.

Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Both have victim impact statement provisions under their Sentencing Acts. Ask the police officer in charge of your case or the DPP for the current form. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in Tasmania, click here. To read a comprehensive guide on Victim Impact statements in Northern Territory, click here.

Commonwealth offences. For federal matters, the offender is entitled to see a copy of your statement before sentencing, and there is no set length.

The rules on deadlines, witnesses and reading aloud change from time to time. Our state and territory guides cover what applies where you live, in more detail.

Tips for any victim impact statement

Write in the first person and in your own words. Focus on the impact, not the details of the offence. Be specific. Broken sleep, missed work, cancelled plans and medical bills say more than a general word like devastated. Most courts do not want you to suggest a penalty, because the sentence is a matter for the court. Check the rules for your state or territory before you submit, since some require a statutory declaration or a witness. One more thing that surprises people: your statement can become part of the court record, and the media can report what is read out. Think about your privacy as you decide what to include.

How long should it be?

There is no set length. Most statements run one to a few pages. Say what matters and stop. A short, specific statement lands harder than a long one that repeats itself.

Do you have to make one?

No. A victim impact statement is voluntary in every Australian state and territory. You can make one, or not. Both choices are valid. If you start and change your mind, you can stop. What happens with your statement is your choice.