Monday 24 November 2014

Grounds For American Trial Jury Reform

By Ida Dorsey


To millions of Americans, the justice arrangement of the nation is pillared on the jury system. The method upholds the right of every citizen and grants fairness and impartiality in court cases. However, many Americans have come to believe that the purpose of the jury method has been abused. A number of verdicts have been reached by the system have angered some people. These are some of the reasons why some people feel it is time for American trial jury reform.

The jury system was incorporated as part of the justice arrangement to help in investigation work. This was intended to reduce the rates of crime and safeguard the rights of those prosecuted. Many feel the method is no longer effective in achieving its purpose, while others think that nothing has gone astray. Turning a blind eye to the current problems in the arrangement will be an annihilation of justice.

The judging arrangement has been in use for a very long time and was incorporated in the constitution in 1791. It was an effective method of protecting citizens who could be prosecuted wrongly. A lot has happened over the years, making the arrangement move from its initial purpose. In order to ensure the method does not lose relevance, it is time to consider making some changes in it.

Although the need for reform is evident, little has changed in the grand jury. About 20 years ago, Congress made serious efforts to make changes in the jury. This was after strong urging from the American Bar Association. A lot of bills were introduced and plenty of studies conducted. All the work did not succeed in bringing in any of the anticipated reforms.

Those opposed to the use of jurors in reaching decisions argue that the system is costly and time consuming. Often pleas for mercy on such issues like race characterize the decisions yet they may be totally unrelated to the case. Some cases are too complex for a majority of the jurors to comprehend especially in civil cases.

People are concerned about the time and cost involved with the arrangement. Those who have testified before juries do not have good experiences about it. Unless some action is taken quickly, the gains made as far as justice is concerned will be lost. Those who are concerned should take initiative to put the arrangement back in place.

Many Americans have lost confidence in the arrangement with a majority not willing to take part in them. This loss of confidence may have resulted from how a number of cases have been handled in the last 40 or so years. The society has also evolved massively, which calls for the judging method to accommodate these changes.

As the society evolves, it is necessary for the jury arrangement to change with it. Unless the two work together, there will be very serious problems in the end. The disquiet witnessed in some parts of the society can lead to social strife unless something is done. There is some hope as some states have started to make changes in their laws.




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