the advantages and disadvantages of the jury system including its history and eligibility. Also includes analysis of its structure delving into emotional, psychological and impartiality of the system.
Grade: 67%
first year assignment into ELS
, complete jury duty. One can also be excused if they have completed jury duty within the past
two years. Furthermore, there are also conditions that can cause a person to be excluded from
completing the service such as those with a criminal record. The Criminal Records Bureau
automatically conducts checks on jurors to screen out ineligible individuals during the selection
process2.
Main Body
The jury system has been criticised for the emotional and psychological impact it can have on a
juror’s mental health. In severe cases, the jurors will have to hear and view graphic evidence of
cannibalism, necrophilia, child pornography and more which can be emotionally and
psychologically overwhelming. Josie T. Romero, head of the Family and Children Division of
the Santa Clara County Community Mental Health Administration claims that “what jurors
endure in a courtroom triggers immense anxiety, stress and in some cases, mental illnesses”3.
This creates a sense of controversy on the relevance of trial by jury as although many view it as a
civil duty, quite often jurors must endure a trauma experience in which they receive minimal
support. Is it truly necessary for members of the public to experience psychologically damaging
cases to be considered a noble citizen of society? Mark Farrant4, CEO of the Canadian Juries
Commission and former juror attests for the negative impacts of jury service. He had been
assigned to witness a gruesome first-degree murder case that had displayed visceral images and
videos of the crime scene and the autopsy of the victim. Farrant claimed that he would wake up
in cold sweats in the middle of the night due to the horrifying nature of the images seen in court.
Even after the case had been closed, Farrant struggled to readjust to life and would “relive
2
https://unlock.org.uk/advice/juror-jury-service/
3
https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/31/archives/when-a-jury-hears-details-too-gruesome-to-bear.html
4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVESSWFuSoY&ab_channel=CanadianJuriesCommission
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