If someone pleads guilty to committing a crime, or a jury finds them guilty after a trial, the judge or magistrate will need to decide on the appropriate penalty, and sentence them accordingly. Sentences can include:

• jail time, conditional release, a fine, or community service
• repaying the Commonwealth and people who lost money due to the crime. Find out more in reparation orders.  

When deciding what the sentence will be, a judge will take into account a Victim Impact Statement if one has been submitted.

• A Victim Impact Statement is a written or spoken statement that describes the impact of the crime on those affected by it, and the harm the victim suffered as a result. The harm may include physical, psychological and emotional suffering, economic loss and damage. The judge or magistrate may also make a reparation order.