| Potential jurors receive most information about the criminal justice system from the media. This project report analyzes in brief the history of the negative effects of pretrial publicity on criminal trials and juror selection. Different types of media and their effects on the criminal justice system are discussed. There is a significant lack of recent experimental research, but information was collected through journal articles and books. The media delivers skewed information to the public, which creates and reinforces biases in potential jurors. Pretrial publicity eliminates the chance for a fair trial. Policy implications to counter negative media effects are discussed. |
