Cameras and the Courtroom

1596 Words4 Pages

“Equal justice under law”. Those four words are engraved on the very face of the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. This phrase essentially means that everyone is to be treated equally and judged fairly. And yet, even with that phrase engraved on the outside of the Supreme Court building, many people are not treated fairly due to a certain policy regarding cameras inside of courtrooms. It is understood that all American citizens should have access to the goings on inside a courtroom but this is sadly not true. Due to the lack of cameras inside the courtroom, only those privileged enough to obtain a seat in the court may view the session, even though every single American has the right to view the proceedings, whether they want to or not. Cameras must be allowed in all courtrooms in order for the public to see the trials as well as for the benefit of those present.

With the knowledge of knowing that they are being recorded and watched, those participating in the trial will be alert, thus benefiting them. According to the book written by Larry J. Siegel and Joseph J. Senna, “[t]elevising trials […] ensures that judges, lawyers, and even witnesses act honestly […] especially cameras and TV, can increase community and political pressure on participants …” (395). In essence, the meaning of this quote is that people tend to be careful when they know they are being watched. The participating judges, lawyers, and participants will behave truthfully because they are feeling the pressure of being watched and judged on their actions. No one wants to make a fool out of themselves knowing that, however unlikely, the number of eyes watching could be anywhere from the lucky few in the courtroom to hundreds not present in the room. With...

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...are & Try a Winning Case. 6th ed. Nolo, 2007. Advanced Search Complete. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.

Nasheri, Hedieh. Crime and Justice in the Age of Court TV. New York, NY, USA: LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC, 2002. Ebrary. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/scc/Doc?id=10044275&ppg=98. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.

McCall, Gregory. “Cameras in the Courtroom: a Sixth Amendment Analysis.” Columbia Law Review 85.7 (1985): p.1546-1572. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2011

Siegel, Larry J., and Joseph J. Senna. Introduction to Criminal Justice. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. Print.

Thompson, Ellia. "Courtroom cameras: issue moves in and out of focus." The Quill Sept. 2004: 7+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.

Whisenand, James D. “Florida’s Experience with Cameras In the Courtroom.” American Bar Association Journal 64.12 (1978): 1860. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.

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