California · Penal Code

PEN §1191.16: The victim of any crime, or the parents or guardians of the victim if the victim is a minor, or the next of kin of the victim if the victim has died, who choose to exercise their rights with respect t

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes a procedure allowing crime victims or their families to have their statements at sentencing hearings videotaped and preserved for use in future parole proceedings.

Read the full statutory text
The victim of any crime, or the parents or guardians of the victim if the victim is a minor, or the next of kin of the victim if the victim has died, who choose to exercise their rights with respect to sentencing proceedings as described in Section 1191.1 may, in any case where the defendant is subject to an indeterminate term of imprisonment, have their statements simultaneously recorded and preserved by means of videotape, videodisc, or any other means of preserving audio and video, if they notify the prosecutor in advance of the sentencing hearing and the prosecutor reasonably is able to provide the means to record and preserve the statement. If a video and audio record is developed, that record shall be maintained and preserved by the prosecution and used in accordance with the regulations of the Board of Prison Terms at any hearing to review parole suitability or the setting of a parole date.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.