The Jury System - What do you think?

[Reuben]

What do people think of the Jury system. To be honest it scares me that a decision will be put to 12 randomly picked individuals.

What do others think of it?

[Ymir]

The 12 people are just average folks that might have a better outlook at the person on trial than a lawyer or judge might, so it makes some sense.
I like the idea of having the decision made partly by the people and not just government workers. Reuben I don't think people are chosen randomly. One of my teachers was asked for jury duty but they interviewed her and decided to get someone else....Which I think defeats the purpose of regular people, since the government workers choose who is on the jury.
On a general note I think the U.S. judicial system has too many inconsistencies, loopholes, technicalities, and interference of money to be truly effective.

[peaccenicked]

The jury system as a relic of ancient democracy. In ancient Greece the eletion of state officials was run by lottery. Unfortunately slaves and woman were disenfranchised and not given citizenship. However, the practice is a million times more democratic than trial by judge who is after all an over paid agent of the State.

[Revolution Hero]

The jury system seems to be democratic. But those people who sit on the jury bench don't actually know the law. They always are emotionally impressed, and they make their decission being under their personal impression after lawer's speech. That is the reason , for guilty people escaping from the justice.
My opinion is that only judge, or if you wish the group of judges, have to make the final decision. I say that as the future lawer.

(Edited by Revolution Hero at 8:47 pm on July 26, 2002)

[sypher]

Personally I question the need for lawyers. All they do is manipulate the minds of the jury into thinking that there client is not guilty. Most of them consider it a game. they care whether or not he/she is guilty as long as they get paid.

I believe that If you get ride of laywers and educate the jury about the scene of the crime, the evidence to support his/her being arrested and allow the jury to question the defendant along with all the witnessess and experts. the jury should get ever bit of evidence that has been gathered up and from that they should decide if the defendant is guilty or not.

Ymir: I heard of the government workers pull people out of jury duty only if there is a chance that jury member would be biased in favor or against the defendant due to them knowing each other, the jury member not approving of the defendant sexuall preference or color of skin...etc. Does you teacher fit that at all?

[j]

They try and get a variety of people for a jury. Some people are not appointed because of relations or possible biases but others are discriminated on account of age, etc. I doubt the women/race piece plays into it but it could. I know a lot of people who were not selected for jury duty and didn't know why.

I believe lawyers are needed in our current system. The current laws are so intricate that they can be hard to understand by someone not educated in law. I think that many lawyers really do care.

j

[sypher]

However, if thegovernment workers were to explian to the defendant and jury all of their options before getting into this that would create no need for lawyers

[Revolution Hero]

sypher, we have to get rid of the jury, not the lawers.

[Supermodel]

I have to agree the jury system is an ancient artifact that needs to change.

First of all, 12 random people may not be very smart or even be reflective of the average citizen.

Secondly, if the crime is one that's easy to understand, such as a robbery, injury, etc, then most people who are sane can make a judgment based on the evidence.

But crimes such as sophisticated white collar fraud go to jury and I'm sorry, those are not the peers of the people on the stand. Sophisticated criminal matters are too complex to expect a jury to understand and make a decision about.

I also think that any period of sequester beyond a week is unreasonable. Some juries are locked up for 6 months. That may be more than they give the criminal.

I have not registered for Jury duty because I would be a hangin judge. Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do?

[sypher]

you all have great points and I agree with many of them. I too would like to get rid of the jury system(along with lawyers due to the fact I can't seem to trust them.) However I don't know a system that would be able to replace it.

what would you replace the jury with?

[RAM]

Some people don't take part though e.g. dcotors busisness men and soforth so you don't get a cross-section of society and I thnik judges should be used to look beyond the evdience e.g. a case were a man was done for his finger print being on this object nad he diden't gop into the house a world finger print expert proved that there were eroos and the jury still did him becuase they always belived finger prints and ignored that fact that the print was not acurate!