reflection prompt 2 by Samuel Adams

Applications in court

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 01:07:25 UTC

how are the findings in the articles applicable to courtroom trials?

The first article examines the impact of pretrial publicity on juror decision-making

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 01:11:31 UTC

Findings include:

1. Pretrial publicity can influence jurors' perceptions: Even if the publicity is not directly related to the case, it can still affect jurors' opinions about the defendant's guilt or innocence.

Jurors' attitudes can be difficult to change: Once jurors have formed an opinion, it can be challenging to change their minds, even with evidence presented during the trial.
1. Jury selection is crucial: The authors suggest that careful jury selection is essential to ensure that impartial jurors are selected, as jurors with preconceived notions may be more likely to be swayed by pretrial publicity.

These findings could be applied by:

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 01:13:10 UTC

Assessing the potential impact of pretrial publicity on jurors' opinions and taking steps to mitigate its effects (e.g., through voir dire or jury selection).
Recognizing that jurors may have formed opinions before the trial and adapting strategies to address these biases.
Focusing on selecting a diverse and impartial jury pool to minimize the influence of pretrial publicity.

The second article explores the role of emotions in juror decision-making

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 01:15:17 UTC

The findings suggest that:

Emotions play a significant role in juror decision-making: Emotions can influence jurors' perceptions of evidence, witness credibility, and ultimately, their verdict.
Jurors may use emotional cues to make decisions: Jurors may rely on emotional cues, such as witness testimony or physical evidence, rather than rational analysis.
Emotional appeals can be effective in persuading jurors: Effective use of emotional appeals in closing arguments or witness testimony can influence jurors' decisions.

These findings could be applied by:

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 01:16:25 UTC

Acknowledging the importance of emotional appeals in juror decision-making and using persuasive storytelling techniques in closing arguments.
Anticipating how witnesses may elicit emotional responses from jurors and preparing strategies to counterbalance these effects.
Recognizing the potential impact of emotions on juror decision-making and using tactics to manage emotions in the courtroom.

What is the end result that potential jurors are gaining from CSI and TV shows like it?

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 02:40:20 UTC

The end result is that jurors are gaining an unrealistic and inaccurate understanding of forensic science and the CJS

Here's why that's problematic:

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 02:50:08 UTC

Overestimation of forensic science
Misconceptions about evidence and testimonies
Unrealistic expectations of justice
Unfair prejudice
Inaccurate Understanding of the role of experts

Can you think of 1-2 things that you learned directly from non-news mass media sources that you’ve used in your life? When using those 1-2 things, did you find them to be accurate?

adamss21_1 — 2024-05-23 03:05:47 UTC

First Aid and CPR: In many popular tv shows and movies they feature medical professionals performing life saving procedures like first aid and CPR. In life these are crucial skills in emergency situations and knowing how to perform them may save lives. The accuracy of the acting lies with the fact that they base it off of real life guidelines and procedures.
Mindfulness and Meditation: In the movie Enter the Dragon it features Bruce Lee meditating before a fight to focus his mind and prepare himself for battle. While the martial arts depiction is often exaggerated it highlights the importance of meditation and mindfulness rooted in real world principles. In reality meditation and mindfulness have been shown to improve focus, concentration, and mental clarity.