About Us

Our Mission

Our mission is to prevent people from making dangerous choices, to reform clients through awareness, and to promote healing in the panelists who participate. We focus on impaired and distracted driving awareness, prevention, and healing.

Our Story

Victims Impact Panel of Oklahoma, Inc. (VIP) was founded on October 1, 1989, by VIP’s first Executive Director, Janella Tears. We are Oklahoma’s original victim impact panel, the only state based 501c3 nonprofit, and have been court-recognized for over 30 years.

Legislation was passed in 1990 that allowed Oklahoma judges to order offenders to attend a victim impact panel in which they would hear in person the testimonies of those who have been directly affected by someone’s choice to drive under the influence.

It is not intended to be a “punishment” for the DUI offender but rather a “wake-up call” about the consequences of bad choices. VIP isn’t a blame, shame, or guilt organization, we don’t isolate our clients. Instead, VIP offers a way to empower themselves to make better decisions in the future and provide them with a platform to impact others.

Our Impact

In 2018, an independent research analyst was provided information through the Oklahoma Supreme Court Network and found that in the major counties in Oklahoma where our VIP is offered, there was a success rate of over 90%. This means more than 90% of offenders who attended our VIP have not been re-arrested for DUI.

"I feel compassion for the panelists. They gripped my heart and forced me to think about my alternatives to drinking and driving. I was sad for all the painful energy flowing around only three people."

"I felt sorry for the panel members and, at the same time, thankful that they had the courage to share their experience to make a difference in someone else's life. I believe they helped me."

"The moving stories of the people on the panel have caused me to re-evaluate my own behavior and to realize that receiving the DUI was a far luckier event than I thought."

Get Involved

Victims Impact Panel of Oklahoma, Inc. (VIP) is a true 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that graciously accepts tax-deductible donations.

VIP is self-supporting and does not receive government funding, so we rely on the fees from clients, school programs, and fundraisers to achieve our mission. If you want to support the mission of VIP by sponsoring a program in your local school or becoming a speaker, contact us today.

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