Social Psychology and The Law - Assignment Example

Social Psychology and The Law Jury DutyJuries usually issue the verdict on a suspected criminal. An individual can choose to be tried in front of a grand jury. The suspects, who believe they are innocent, favor the idea of unbiased minds hearing and evaluation of their cases in a court of law. Juries are much better than polygraph tests (Aronson, 2013, 444). If an individual is selected to be part of the jury, then he or she must have a clear conscience to evaluate both sides of the court, which entail the prosecution and the defense without bias.

When I was a young child, my parents took me to court to attend the trial of a suspected murderer who had killed a sixteen-year-old girl in the suburb where we lived. I remember being fascinated by the conduct of the judge, the lawyers and the jury. Since I was young, I did not comprehend what the jury`s role was until my father explained to me that they were the people responsible for making the verdict. The prosecution and the defense had to state their case and hope to influence the jury to gain a favorable verdict.

This made me wish to one-day sit in a jury so I can deliberate, and make a judgment.The following are the reasons why I would like to be part of a jury. The jury picking process is done carefully with the candidates being screened thoroughly. A jury member has to have a clean record with no history of any crimes committed. This means if I to be selected I would have to be an individual of high moral conduct. Also being a member of a jury, I would gain experience in the event I was to become a lawyer or a judge in the future.

The knowledge acquired during the court proceedings would come in handy in the event I was to state my case to a jury. Lastly, I would like to participate in a jury since I believe in the rule of law. I would like to review the evidence and prevent some biased jurors from convicting an innocent person and to convict the guilty parties. Being a juror means that you are a trustworthy individual who will not be swayed or corrupted by money, greed or prestige. Eyewitness TestimonyEyewitnesses play a vital role in court case proceedings.

They give first hand information on the situations pertaining to the cases. Eyewitness accounts of individuals who claim to have seen or been at the scene of the crime enable the jury or judge determine most cases. Their information is crucial and should be well scrutinized since not all eyewitnesses are honest. Since they were there during the incident in question, their job is to give a clear account of what exactly happened on a given date. Eyewitnesses are still an important aspect in getting convictions in the courtroom.

Although not all eyewitness accounts are accurate, they do serve a purpose. However, eyewitness accounts should be scrutinized to determine if they are true or not. Eyewitnesses should undergo a polygraph or lie detector test before or during the court proceedings (Aronson, 2013, 441). Unless an eyewitness can recall, prove or collaborate the testimonies the defendant or the accused individuals, his or her testimony is inadmissible in the courtroom. Modern scientific approaches such as DNA testing are overshadowing eyewitness accounts due to its accuracy and efficiency in obtaining results.

In my opinion, courts should still allow eyewitness testimonies during court proceedings. However, they should verify if the information given is accurate to avoid future complications as in the case of Randall Adams (Aronson, 2013, 433). He released after being in prison for twelve years following a conviction based on false eyewitness accounts.ReferenceAronson, E, Wilson, T. D, & Akert, R. M. (2013) Social psychology and the law, 8th edition Boston: Pearson. Print