THE JURY SYSTEM BY PEOPLE SUBSTITUTING FOR LAZY MR. VERDON

REASONS FOR Accepted by society Used by most developed Western countries Historically successful and generally well-received Accused is judged by peers Allows public to play a role in criminal justice process Group of jurors negates individual prejudice – system relies on balance of opinion Responsibility for decision is spread across twelve jurors Jury usually represents a cross-section of society (provides a range of perceptions, recollections and analyses System acts a safety net against corrupt and oppressive conduct by the state and/or police force

REASONS AGAINST Jury trials are time consuming and costly, and create delays in the criminal justice system Unanimous verdicts are difficult to arrive at Difficult cases are hard for the jury to follow Rules of evidence are difficult to follow Jury is not accountable and does not have to provide reasons for its decision The media can affect a juror’s view of the trial Jury may not be objective Juries may not represent a true cross-section of society The jury system favours the accused Jury duty can affect jurors adversely