NCJ Number
27638
Journal
American Bar Association Journal Volume: 61 Dated: (AUGUST 1975) Pages: 956-959
Date Published
1975
Length
4 pages
Annotation
AFTER EXAMINING THE POSSIBLE USES OF VIDEOTAPE IN THE COURTROOM, THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES THE EFFECTS OF FULL-TRIAL VIDEOTAPE USE ON THE TRIAL PROCESS AND CAUTIONS THAT MORE STUDY IS NEEDED BEFORE VIDEOTAPING IS GENERALLY ADOPTED.
Abstract
IT IS OBSERVED THAT VIDEOTAPING DISCRETE PIECES OF TESTIMONY OR EVIDENCE FOR PRESENTATION AT AN OTHERWISE LIVE FIRST-INSTANCE TRIAL WOULD BE USEFUL UNDER THE PROPER CIRCUMSTANCES. HOWEVER, THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT PROPOSALS HABVE BEEN MADE TO USE VIDEOTAPE TO PRERECORD ALL EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY - THE ENTIRE TRIAL. THIS EDITED PRODUCT WOULD THEN BE SHOWN FOR FIRST-INSTANCE VIEWING BY THE JURY AND/OR JUDGE. THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS AND IMPACTS OF SUCH VIDEOTAPED TRIALS ARE EXAMINED FOR WITNESSES, THE JUDGE, THE JURY AND TRIAL DYNAMICS. THE AUTHOR ALSO QUESTIONS THE VALIDITY OF EXPERIMENTS WITH SIMULATED TRIALS UNDERTAKEN TO STUDY EFFECTS OF FULLTRIAL VIDEOTAPES. IT IS STATED THAT SINCE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SUCH VIDEOTAPE USE HAVE NOT BEEN SUBSTANTIATED, THE DESIRABILITY OF BROAD USE OF THESE METHODS IS DUBIOUS.