Bringing Virtual Reality Into The Courtroom
VR headsets aren't only being used for gaming,...
they are also making their way into a variety of other industries like film, journalism, travel, and even the courtroom.
VR technology is being used to recreate crime scenes in the courtroom for juries to watch.
The VR experience is ideally going to be able to give them a new and different approach to understanding what had occurred at the scene of a crime.
Lawyers in the US have already been using this technology in an experimental way and they imagine that both judges and jurors could one day be able to use it, in order to come to a better understanding of what happened in related to a particular alleged crime taking place.
Legal teams have been recreating scenes for jurors in many ways for a number of years, by using detailed drawings, dioramas, DVD and video cameras, or 3D renders of a particular crime scene etc.
When it comes to trying to understand what occurred during a crime, it can often produce a more efficient response and understanding when people see the scenario as opposed to simply hearing about it.
When it comes to putting together a VR project for a particular case, it's estimated to cost tens of thousands of dollars in order to complete that VR recreation.
The most popular format for the VR technology would allegedly be in recreating car accidents, crime scenes, and witness simulations. The idea is for the VR to help put together a visual that can get the juror or the judge, an accurate of a picture as possible as to what occurred during the incident.
The VR is able to give a viewing of different vantage points so that the juror and judge can have a more well-rounded understanding of the crime.
Any Issues?...
Visual input can have a much stronger impact than auditory input; seeing is believing. The VR recreation might outshine all of the other evidence because of the psychological impact that it has.
When it comes to making a decision on guilt or innocence, more information for the jurors can be helpful to them, in order to assist them with coming to an overall understanding of what occurred.
When it comes to any recreated scenario that jurors or judges would be witnessing via the VR technology, they would only be witnessing a recreation of the crime- not the actual crime. There is a significant difference.
The insight that the VR would allow them to derive would not come from the actual crime scene, but it would be the result of an analysis that was constructed from a particular interested party in the case. In other words, the VR visual content can easily produce a very one-sided narrative of the events.
Is It Needed?
Some legal experts question the necessity of VR technology in the courtroom; there are legal teams that have been using a number of high quality methods to go about illustrating the basic facts of the case to the juror or judge for many years now.
Aside from the critics, others say that they expect the use of VR technology to become much more widespread within the legal world. It's predicted that VR technology will quickly grow to become a common part of a trial setting.
There are legal scholars and other researchers not only in the US but around the world, who are investigating the potential uses for this technology to be used in a court setting.
Pics:
Alejandro Alba via Vocativ www.vocativ.com/397353/virtual-reality-courtroom-trial/
Law Abiding Citizen via damh-loch-beta.tumblr.com/post/54193246713/gerard-butler-gif-hunt
Ryan Beckler via Vocativ
Sources:
http://www.vocativ.com/397353/virtual-reality-courtroom-trial/
http://www.businessinsider.com/virtual-reality-in-the-courtroom-2016-11
https://www.citylab.com/equity/2015/03/the-oculus-rift-and-the-courtroom/385351/
http://www.vocativ.com/322438/using-virtual-reality-juries-could-soon-visit-crime-scenes/
http://www.gradea.ca/virtual-reality-why-it-matters-for-the-legal-industry/
Related Posts:
The Power In Jury Nullification
https://steemit.com/nullification/@doitvoluntarily/the-power-in-jury-nullification
New Hampshire Looks To Require Courts To Inform Juries of Nullification
The Rise Of The Virtual Reality Arcade
https://steemit.com/gaming/@doitvoluntarily/the-rise-of-the-virtual-reality-arcade
Now thats pretty cool, but like you stated will it make a bigger impact on a jurors decision and will it give the defense an eaual opportunity to prove their case. It would be very easy for the prosecution to put up a vivid video or experience through the headset but how will the defense fair and will they even be looked at in the same manner afterwards. Seems to me it will make the defenses job much harder proving innocence.
Thanks for sharing an interesting post, doitvoluntarily! I agree that there needs to be more study on how visualization of a crime scene using VR affects the jury's decision-making process. I think viewing crime scenes illicit strong emotions on the part of the jury and like newus2017 said, will probably make it harder for the defense to convince the jury that the defendant is innocent.
@doitvoluntarily - Visual impact of the VR presentation will definitely make a more lasting impression on the jurors compared to lengthy descriptions. However, you are absolutely correct in pointing out that the impression would depend on the analysis of what the VR depicts and NOT the actual crime scene. Clever lawyers could use VR to leave subtle misleading visual impressions. I guess, like any good tool, it is a double edged sword. It's success depend on whether the good used outweighs the bad. Thank you for bringing this interesting technological update. Upvoted.
Update at my end is that I am doing a 'Photospeak' series with my memories from Africa - with just a photo with minimal words - Letting the picture speak for itself mostly. I would be honored if you can take a look at Photospeak #1: Man vs. Nature and Photospeak #2: African landscape when you have time and provide your valuable comments. Thanks
Oh thats nice to know. VR has a more important role now. I thought they are only use for gaming and watching movies 😃
Interesting article. Very sorry, I do not have the opportunity to try glasses
That is so cool! The different ways they are using them! I have two different kind of VR and I almost fall with some of the things I watch its to cool! Have a great Wednesday!🌻
That is seriously amazing!
I hope this can really recreate the crime scene vividly so people get the right punishment for their crime or there are no innocents that are sentenced.
Great stuff @doitvoluntarily
It could have a sinister side as well, you could give a fake, or fictional VR presentation which could override factual evidence that then gets diminished in value. Thanks for sharing.
It still needs a lot of debate and some strict laws to make it implemented.