NCJ Number
59301
Date Published
1979
Length
30 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYSIS IS PROVIDED OF RESPONSES TO AN ATTITUDINAL QUESTIONNAIRE RETURNED BY 278 JURORS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PRERECORDED VIDEOTAPED (PRVTT) CIVIL TRIALS CONDUCTED IN OHIO IN 1975 AND 1976.
Abstract
OHIO WAS THE FIRST STATE TO EXTEND THE USE OF VIDEOTAPE BEYOND THE RECORDING OF DEPOSITIONS. THE FIRST OF MANY PRVTT'S WAS HELD IN THE SANDUSKY, OHIO, COURT OF COMMON PLEAS ON NOVEMBER 18, 1971. THE TRIALS TO WHICH THIS APPROACH WAS APPLIED DIFFERED FROM ORDINARY TRIALS IN THAT THE WITNESSES' TESTIMONY HAD BEEN PRERECORDED FOR TRIAL PRESENTATION. TO EVALUATE JUROR ACCEPTANCE, A 4-PAGE FORM CONTAINING 24 QUESTIONS (APPENDED) WAS MAILED TO EACH MEMBER OF A JURY WHO HAD RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN A PRVTT. NO RECORD WAS KEPT OF THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONNAIRES MAILED NOR THE RETURN RATE. THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DESIGNED TO ELICIT FEELINGS, ATTITUDES, OPINIONS, AND JUDGMENTS ABOUT VARIOUS FACETS OF BOTH LIVE AND PRVTT COURTROOM TECHNIQUES. THE RESPONSES WERE TREATED IN TWO STAGES: THE DATA WERE TABULATED AND ANALYZED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WERE ANY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE REPLIES OF TWO OR MORE QUESTIONS (E.G., BETWEEN THE RESPONSES TO A PARTICULAR QUESTION AND THE AGE, SEX, OR OCCUPATION OF THE JURORS). THE RESPONSES INDICATED A GENERALLY FAVORABLE REACTION TO THE USE OF PRVTT. THERE WAS A 2.4 TO 1 PREFERENCE FOR A PRVTT OVER AN ORDINARY TRIAL IN A CIVIL SUIT INVOLVING A LITIGANT. IN CONTRAST, THERE WAS AN EVEN SPLIT IN INDICATED PREFERENCE IN CRIMINAL TRIALS INVOLVING THE RESPONDENTS AS THE ACCUSED. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED.