A victim impact panel, or VIP, is a meeting where a person convicted of a DUI in California is ordered to listen to DUI victims (usually three to four) speak about how a drunk driving event has affected their lives, or the lives of their loved ones. The panelist victims discuss a DUI incident with the hopes of educating the offender and deterring future intoxicated driving.
First-time DUI offenders are required to attend these panels as part of their criminal sentencing. VIPs in California are put together and conducted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
The main goals of a victim impact panel include to:
- give the victims a voice to share their feelings and experiences,
- make DUI offenders aware of how serious their crime was, and
- raise awareness for drunk driving, victims of impaired driving, and the prevention of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Note that the goal is not to place blame on a DUI offender. The idea is to make this person aware of the consequences of their actions.
Note that VIP attendance is not the same as an offender attending DUI school, which is another mandatory penalty in California DUI cases. A driver must enroll in DUI school if convicted of a DUI or “wet” driving offense such as:
- driving under the influence,
- driving with a BAC of .08% or higher,
- underage DUI (BAC of .05% or higher), or
- “wet reckless.”
Other mandatory DUI penalties in California include:
- a misdemeanor conviction,
- imprisonment in a county jail for up to six months,
- a 6-month driver’s license suspension, and
- installation of an ignition interlock device for six months (unless you choose not to drive).
Our DUI defense lawyers will discuss the following in this article:
- 1. What is a VIP in a DUI case?
- 2. What are the goals of a DUI victim impact panel?
- 3. Who is eligible and how does it affect a DUI offender’s case?
- 4. Is a victim impact panel class the same as attending a DUI school?
- 5. Other DUI Penalties
- Additional Reading
A victim impact panel is a meeting where a person convicted of a DUI listens to DUI victims speak about how a drunk driving event has affected their lives
1. What is a VIP in a DUI case?
Victim impact panels are meetings of three to four members of a community who are all DUI victims. Victim means that either their own lives or the life of a loved one has been affected by:
- a drunk driving incident,
- drunk drivers,
- someone driving under the influence of alcohol, and/or
- impaired driving crashes.1
Members discuss how these events have impacted their lives or the lives of close family members. Discussions may include first-hand observations of accidents and personal stories.
Persons convicted of a DUI in California are required to attend a VIP as part of their DUI sentence. The panel then becomes an awareness program as panelists give offenders a unique perspective of how serious and hurtful their crime was. Offenders, though, usually have no interaction with the community members.2
VIPS are put together and presented by MADD. A panel is referred to as a “MADD VIP.”
The cost of most panels is approximately $25.00 (payable via most payment methods, including money orders) and they typically last one hour in duration.
2. What are the goals of a DUI victim impact panel?
In California, VIPs are meant to:
- give the victims a voice to share their feelings and experiences,
- make DUI offenders aware of how serious their crime was,
- provide these offenders with a better translation as to how their crimes cause real-life harm, and
- raise awareness for DUI, victims of impaired driving, and the prevention of driving under the influence of alcohol.3
Note that VIPs are not intended to shame, ridicule, or blame the offender in any way. The main aim is to educate the person and make them aware of the consequences of drinking and driving.4
As the MADD VIP website states, the intent is to:
“help drunk and drugged driving offenders to recognize and internalize the lasting and long-term effects of substance-impaired driving.”5
The judge presiding over a DUI case makes the decision as to whether an offender attends a victim impact panel program.
3. Who is eligible and how does it affect a DUI offender’s case?
The judge presiding over a California DUI case makes the decision as to whether an offender attends a victim impact panel program. Sometimes, though, a probation officer will order attendance.
Note, though, that panel attendance is typically limited to first-time DUI offenders.
A judge will often credit the time an offender spends at a panel as:
- time served, or
- time spent performing community service.
Once a VIP is completed, MADD provides DUI offenders with a certificate of completion. The offender must present this certificate to the court as proof of program completion.
4. Is a victim impact panel class the same as attending a DUI school?
A victim impact panel class is not the same as attending DUI school.
“DUI School” is a program of alcohol education and prevention ordered by courts and/or the DMV. A driver must enroll in DUI school if convicted of a DUI or “wet” driving offense such as:
- driving under the influence,
- driving with a BAC of .08% or higher,
- underage DUI (BAC of .05% or higher), or
- “wet reckless.”
The required length and likely cost of a driver alcohol/drug education program depend on the driver’s specific DUI offense.
Unlike DUI school, attendance at a VIP is not mandatory and it is only allowed in some DUI cases.
5. Other DUI Penalties
In California, offenders also face the following DUI penalties:
- misdemeanor charges,
- 3 to 5 years of informal probation (typically 3 years),6
- DUI school ranging from 3 to 9 months (typically 3 months),7
- fines and penalty assessments totaling between $1,500 and $2,000 (depending on the county),8
- a 6-month driver’s license suspension (though people may be able to get a restricted license or drive immediately with an IID restricted license),9
- installation of an ignition interlock device for six months (unless the defendant chooses not to drive),
- up to 6 months in county jail (depending on the county),10
- in some counties, work release, and
- indirect consequences (such as increased car insurance premiums and harsher penalties if the defendant gets convicted of a subsequent DUI).
Additional Reading
For more in-depth information, refer to these scholarly articles:
- The effect of victim impact panels on DUI/DWI rearrest rates: a twelve-month follow-up – Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
- Do Victim Impact Panels reduce drunk driving recidivism? – Restorative Justice.
- MADD victim impact panels and stages-of-change in drunk-driving prevention – Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
- Do Victim Impact Panels Have Sustained Effects on DUI Recidivism? – Laws.
- Victim impact panels: do they impact drunk drivers? A follow-up of female and male, first-time and repeat offenders – Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Legal References
- MADD website, victim impact panels.
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- California Vehicle Code 23600b1.
- California Vehicle Code 23538b.
- California Vehicle Code 23536a.
- California Vehicle Code 13552a1A. See also California Senate Bill 1046 (2018).
- California Vehicle Code 23536a.