In some countries, some criminal trials in law courts are shown on television so that the general public can watch them. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Across the globe, while most countries usually have criminal trials behind closed doors, others broadcast criminal legal proceedings on television for the general public.

This

practice has its benefits and flaws. I will discuss

further

how its advantages outweigh the

disadvantages

. Most people think that showing live telecasts of criminal court proceedings has its benefits.

Firstly

, it shows the transparency of the country’s legal system, how the people can see how the judicial system works.

For example

, the case of O.J Simpson where he was a national football player who was charged with murdering his wife.

Although

he is a national celebrity, the general public can rest assured that he is not exempted from going through a fair trial for his charges.

Secondly

, it strengthens faith and trust in the general public towards the countries’ legal system, and the Constitution, where the citizens are protected from violence and that any act of violence will not be tolerated and will be penalized.

However

, showcasing court cases on television comes with its own flaws. The close relative of the defendant may suffer stigma from the consequences of the criminal’s actions. Families of the perpetrator will have to bear with the emotional difficulties throughout the proceeding. Providing psychological support for the family to go through prejudice from society, would be beneficial.

Furthermore

, children who will watch the proceedings on-air may be exposed to violence and unwanted trauma from the crime scene or pieces of evidence.

Nevertheless

,

this

drawback can be reduced if the legal proceeding is restricted for children.

Moreover

, the public will be influenced by the trial and make their own judgements on the criminal case prior to the verdicts of the court. The media will tend to

oversensationalise

Correct your spelling

over sensationalise

the issue, making the audience biased towards the defendant. In conclusion, there are both advantages and

disadvantages

of showing criminal trials on TV, but I believe the benefits outweigh the

disadvantages

. The narrated

disadvantages

can be prevented by the steps mentioned above.