Question

What are some benefits and detriments of televised trials?

Answer 1

Benefits.

1. Educating the Public and Restoring Confidence in the Courts. Many people are oblivious to the courtroom procedure and via the televised trials people might have a benefit of getting educated.

2. Televised trials may inform people about the information of the crimes. Offences which have loose meaning in general public usage [like harassment, bullying.. etc] are committed since people seldom have a realisation that what they might be doing is a crime. Thus to inform and educate the specifics of certain crimes these televised trials are very useful.

3.  Learning about the consequences of crime. If the general public see a culprit get punished they might move away from any ideas of comitting a crime. People with criminal tendencies might hesitate to the point of refraining from committing the crime once they see another person get punished infront of thier eyes.

4. The people of a nation have a right to know about any court proceedings they might wish. Televised trials might thus work in favor of the people who otherwise would not attend the trial.

Deterrents

1. Prior to the jury selection if the evidence clippings are shown to the public beforehand there might be an issue with the fair selection of the Jurors. The jurors might form their opinion before the defendant gets a fair trial. Thus making the trial unfair.

2. The viewers might form their preconceptions about the defendant prior to the judgment being passed. Once this happens there is a certain chance that the defendant might face contempt in public eyes based on the popular opinion even if he is proven to be not guilty.

3. The sanctity of the courtroom trials shall be compromised. These televised trials might not be taken seriously after a long period of time. The people might grow accustomed to and its once favorable effects [like 3rd point in benefits] might fade away.

4. Few key witnesses might hesitate coming out of the public in such and way. This might have an undesired effect [of any sort] on the witness's public life. In certain cases, the life of witnesses might be in a danger.

5. Jurors and Lawyers in the court might [intentionally or not] 'act' different in front of the cameras. This deviates them from concentrating on the case.