Jury Effectiveness

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Legal Studies Report: Evaluate the effectiveness of the jury system in the Criminal trial: By Ben Sladin Execrative Summary:In this report I will be discussing the effectiveness of the Jury system in a criminal trial. In the report I will be elaborating the history of the jury system in the Magna Carta and past legislation such as Jury Act 1977 (NSW) and Jury Amendment (Verdicts) Act 2006 (NSW). This report will weigh up the jurors role and society’s values and standards, while also looking into the responsibility of the juror. I will also discuss the and question the effectiveness of the juror understanding of the law and how it is applied to reach a verdict. Introduction: Although mostly effective, the juror’s roles and powers in the…show more content…
However, the ineffectiveness of this role is based on the fact that a juror will make decisions based on their values and personal belief, and therefore cannot remain completely unbiased in the eyes of the law. In the case R v K [2003] NSWCCA 406 (23 December 2003), (refer to appendix 1) the ability of the juror’s to remain uninfluenced is unrealistic and especially by the media when the issue of the trial is a serious state or countrywide problem. Therefore, while there are a number of sections to the jury system designed to remove biased decision making, it also can’t be helped and lacks overall complete effectiveness when the jury comes to a verdict. Juror’s Understanding In Criminal Trials: The jury system lacks effectiveness, where complex technical cases might be misunderstood due to a lack of understanding of the evidence presented and where the reasons for the jury’s decision are not disclosed to either side. The jury is an uneducated body in the law and therefore needs the judge to explain the law to them. Juror Understanding of Judicial Instructions in Criminal Trials: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research in…show more content…
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