evaluation of juries

• why is the public confidence in the system considered an advantage of juries?

  Trial by peers is a fundamental principle of the english legal system
• What did lord Devlin say about public confidence in the system of law?

  He said that trial by peers is 'the lamp that shows that freedom lives'
• why is the fact that juries 'make the right decision' considered an advantage of juries?

  the fact that juries make the right decision reflects the collective judgment and common sense of a diverse group of ordinary people- this ensures verdicts are fair, unbiased and grounded in societal values which thus protects public confidence in the legal system
• What is the significance of the case of r v ponting?

  it is an example of the jury ' making the right decision' in a case that involved an MP who was in breach of the official secrets act
• why is the fact that the legal system is open an advantage?

  The process is seen to be open and transparent because the whole process takes place in public, and the jury is comprised or members of the public
• Why is the secrecy of the jury room considered to be an advantage of juries?

  the Jury is protected from external pressure and influences when pressure and influences when reaching their verdict- ensuring the result isnt biased
• why can the fact that juries 'make the right decision' be considered a disadvantage?

  It can lead to perverse verdicts, that can’t be justified or rationalised, in cases that seem to be very clear cut. This can have an adverse impact on public confidence.
• What is the significance of the case of r v randle and pottle?

  It shows how the juries can make a perverse decision
• why can the secracy of the jury room be considered a disadvantage?

  There is no way of knowing whether the jury understood the case and / or made its decision for the right reasons.
• What is the significance of the case of r v young 1993?

  It is the ouija board case - it illustrates how the secracy of the jury room can be considered a disadvantage as they werent using evidence to influence their decisions
• Why is racial bias considered a disadvantage of juries?

  Can lead to biased, unfair and perverse decisions which impact public confidence of the legal system
• Why can media influence be considered a disadvantage of using juries?

  It will make it that the jury isnt making a decision based on proven facts, this will lead to perverse decisions and an impact in public confidence of the legal system#
• What is the significance of the case of r v taylor 1993?

  It is an example of the jury being impacted by the media:

  • The news papers gave a false impression of a video sequence leading to the wrong people being convicted
• why is the jury's potential difficulty in understanding a case a disadvantage of the jury system?

  It is a disadvantage because complex legal issues, technical evidence or intricate arguments may be challenging for the jury to grasp fully leading to misunderstandings, incorrect judgement and potentially unjust outcomes and impact in public confidence of the system
• what did the runciman comission report?

  10 % of jurors reported difficulty in a case
• what did the roskill committee reccoment in 1986?

  Abolishing juries in fraud trials due to the complex nature