NCJ Number
63127
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 20-24
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN COURTROOM PROCEDURES AND FACILITIES ARE DISCUSSED WITH A VIEW TO THE IMPACT ON THE JUDICIAL PROCESS.
Abstract
TESTIMONY OF INEXPERIENCED WITNESSES WILL BE AIDED BY SELF-MODULATING MICROPHONES THAT AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAIN A CONSTANT AUDIO LEVEL. THE COURT REPORTER'S ROLE WILL BECOME THAT OF THE 'COURTROOM TECHNICIAN' WHO MONITORS AUDIOTAPE RECORDERS. VIDEOTAPE HAS MULTIPLE COURTROOM APPLICATIONS: MAKING A PERMANENT RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS, RECORDING WITNESS DEPOSITIONS, HELPING JURORS CONCENTRATE AND REMEMBER, AND TRANSMITTING CLOSE-UP IMAGES OF EVIDENCE. VIDEO-TELEPHONES WILL ENABLE LONG-DISTANCE PARTICIPATION, AND DATA-PHONES WILL PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO COMPUTERIZED MATERIAL. THE POTENTIAL DANGER INVOLVED IN THE INTRUSION OF PUBLIC MEDIA INTO THE COURTROOM CAN BE SOLVED IF THE PRESS IS ISOLATED IN 'MEDIA ROOMS' BEHIND ONE-WAY GLASS, WHERE FULL COVERAGE IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT DISTURBING THE PROCEEDINGS. COURTROOM SECURITY IS ENHANCED BY MONITORING SYSTEMS THAT FUNCTION UNOBTRUSIVELY. IN THE FUTURE, DIVERSE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS WILL REQUIRE LARGE FACILITIES FOR MASS PUBLIC HEARINGS, AS WELL AS SMALLER ROOMS FOR INFORMAL HEARINGS AND SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES. THE TRADITIONAL COURTROOM WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A CHANGING SOCIETY. THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF COURTROOMS, HOWEVER, NEED NOT BE PRESCRIBED AND UNIFORM, BUT RESPONSIVE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF PARTICULAR JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS. (MRK)