Improving comprehension of jury instructions with audio‐visual presentation

Abstract

This study examined whether mock-jurors' comprehension of judicial self-defence instructions improved when an audio-visual instructional format involving computer animations and a flow chart was used. In a mock-juror paradigm, 90 law students (experts) and 90 legally untrained adults (novices) were randomly allocated to one of three instructional conditions (audio, audio-elaborated, audio-visual). Dependent measures of self-defence comprehension included verdict delivery, multiple-choice (recognition), paraphrasing (recall) and novel scenarios (transfer). Law students performed better on self-defence comprehension tests than novices in the audio-only conditions. The audio-visual format significantly enhanced novices' comprehension, with their comprehension scores matching those of law students.

Introducing 3D Printed Models as Demonstrative Evidence at Criminal Trials

“…Recent debate in the field of jury research appears split on the question whether jurors are capable of understanding and assessing complex medical or scientific evidence (see for example for an argument for jury competence and for a more sceptical view). Regardless of whether they are competent or not, visual and haptic evidence has the potential to improve understanding as it addresses the different learning styles encountered amongst the jurors and maximizes the retention of information in the memory by actively engaging them in the trial. Upon observation, the jury in this case appeared interested and attentive, taking extensive notes, during the presentation of the 3D print, a major benefit of demonstrative exhibits in general .…”

Do People Comprehend Legal Language in Wills?

“…One possibility is that, in their discussions with clients, lawyers consider conveying the information in multiple ways. Some research suggests that comprehension of jury instructions is enhanced in legal neophytes by the use of audiovisual formats involving computer animations and flowcharts (Brewer, Harvey, & Semmler, 2004). Applying these concepts to hypothetical vignettes may also be a useful strategy.…”

HolmeSketcher: Generative 3D Sketch Mapping for Spatial Reconstruction in Crime Scene Investigation

“…Investigators typically sketch a rough diagram on-site and later refine it into a formal diagram for use in reports and presentations [29,61]. In court, these sketches serve as shared spatial references for understanding crime contexts and evidence relationships [8]. Because sketching helps users interpret, organize, and recall spatial information, it is also widely used in investigative interviews, where witnesses or victims draw diagrams to support their accounts and aid memory retrieval [9,12,21].…”