CRJ3014 Criminal Justice and the Media Law Major Principles
The Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) effect is alleged to alter public perceptions of real-world forensic science. This is of particular concern in the courtroom, where many prosecutors are confused about the jurors' expectations of scientific evidence. Working as an intern in the district attorney's office, you have to create a 5- to 7-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation for the prosecutors on the CSI syndrome and its effect on jurors.
Using respected sources for research into this topic, give an overview of the CSI syndrome and respond to the following:
- Provide a working definition of the CSI effect and explain what types of scientific evidence do jurors expect to see.
- Analyze and explain whether the CSI effect is limited to those who specifically watch forensic science shows.
- Analyze and explain whether a prosecutor should be allowed to seek permission from the judge to question prospective jurors about their television-watching habits.
- Examine whether cases without scientific evidence are more likely to be scrutinized harshly by jurors. Analyze whether this could affect the final verdict.
Answer:
Pros and Cons of television cameras in the courtroom
a) The right to know: people have the right to know how justice is rendered by the parties involved.
b) Providing Evidence: Videos of past proceedings are helpful when the case is taken to a higher court. This saves time in that the judge will use the video to avoid sticking on the old points
(Herz, 2016).
c) Providing better decisions during judgment: Judges will make better decisions if they know they are being recorded to avoid tainting their image.
a) Protecting the identity of victims or convicts-When court proceedings are recorded, the identity of those being convicted cannot be confidential.
Routine televised coverage of trials is influential to both the judge and other participants. As discussed above television coverage will affect the final decision made by the judge. Witnesses may also fail to turn up for fear of their lives. This is because their identity cannot be hidden. The demeanor of attorneys in a real televised trial is more recommendable; this is because they have to consider all reliable evidence to decide as compared to a fictional trial. Being a celebrity may affect the case an individual during the trial. For example; Nomi Campbell a supermodel pleaded guilty in assaulting her maid but was allowed to cop to a misdemeanor. This shows that celebrities sometimes receive special treatment in a court of law (Belmas & Overbeck, 2014). The media tends to manipulate the perception of people towards the character. This eventually affects the case to some degree.
Information protections are important in security matters about the defendant. Many information safeguards and security for the defendant may not be reliable. This is because many information safeguards may be a liability to manipulation from different parties involved. If the information were to be leaked, then it would be difficult to discover the source. On the other hand, there should be more security on the defendant for better protection to both him and even the witnesses. This will prevent him from interfering with the case both directly and indirectly.
The O.J Simpson case
The O.J Simpson case was watched closely by over 150 million Americans. This resulted in the public playing a role in the final verdict. The case was also affected by racism factors (The OJ Simpson trials: Where are they now?, 2017). The trials involving Scott Peterson, O.J Simpson, and the Menendez did not represent normal judicial proceedings (The Menendez brothers murder their parents, n.d.). This is evident due to the manipulation of the cases by the public. The public does not have the right to know the details about the participants in these cases. Public influences the opinions concerning certain individuals and that may affect the general verdict negatively.
Martha Stewart case
Stewart’s decoration in prison was of public importance. This was an example to the public that nothing can stop you from pursuing your dream.
Martha Stewart`s incarceration meant to serve as an example of equal justice for celebrities.
The media focused on Stewart’s case for different reasons. They were protecting their kind from intimidation from the public. They also had to conduct Media coverage due to the concern by the public.
References
Belmas, G., & Overbeck, W. (2014). Major Principles of Media Law, 2015. Cengage Learning.
Herz, R. (2016, July 27). What are the implications of television cameras in the courtroom? Retrieved from Panel Forum: https://www.penalreform.org/blog/what-are-the-implications-of-television-cameras-in/
The Menendez brothers murder their parents. (n.d.). Retrieved from A&E Television Networks: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-menendez-brothers-murder-their-parents
The OJ Simpson trials: Where are they now? (2017, July 20). Retrieved from BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40667329
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