Jury service
Today they sent me a notice for Jury service, which might involve four weeks!
While it could be interesting, I wouldn't put Hubby in a rest home for four weeks to do it, so asked to be excused.
While the over 65s can object here in New Zealand, but might be able and willing to do it, calling folks over 80 is surely not on.
Apparently they get names off the electoral rolls. But if a person is 'retired' or 'pensioner' on those, why don't they check with Social Welfare (or is that Work and Income now?) and see how old they are?
They will be calling centenarians next.
Apart from attendance - and attention - difficulties, many crimes involve people in their late teens and twenties.
Sixty years or so is a long time and social attitudes can change a lot (e.g. public drunkenness by females is much more acceptable, and prostitution and abortion are now legal. Murderers are no longer hanged, which would make a difference to some jurors.)
Sixty years ago, one could object to being put on the jury roll just for being female. I did, though work commitments were the real reason.
Jury members are not supposed to be influenced by their own prejudices, but it might be hard to avoid it.
People are supposed to be tried by their peers. How does a huge age gap affect that?
While it could be interesting, I wouldn't put Hubby in a rest home for four weeks to do it, so asked to be excused.
While the over 65s can object here in New Zealand, but might be able and willing to do it, calling folks over 80 is surely not on.
Apparently they get names off the electoral rolls. But if a person is 'retired' or 'pensioner' on those, why don't they check with Social Welfare (or is that Work and Income now?) and see how old they are?
They will be calling centenarians next.
Apart from attendance - and attention - difficulties, many crimes involve people in their late teens and twenties.
Sixty years or so is a long time and social attitudes can change a lot (e.g. public drunkenness by females is much more acceptable, and prostitution and abortion are now legal. Murderers are no longer hanged, which would make a difference to some jurors.)
Sixty years ago, one could object to being put on the jury roll just for being female. I did, though work commitments were the real reason.
Jury members are not supposed to be influenced by their own prejudices, but it might be hard to avoid it.
People are supposed to be tried by their peers. How does a huge age gap affect that?
posted by geopelia | 5:14 AM
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