Most mothers love their children to the point that they become blind to the crimes they commit. How often have you seen a criminal caught and convicted, yet when they interview the mother she has nothing but good things to say about him with the added, "He is such a good boy, he never did anything wrong and I know he would never do something like that (refering to the crime)". Now the focus here is not necessarily mothers but the fact that their relationship with their children can sometimes impede justice or to a lesser degree if a mother is involved in a jury she may be biased towards the accused if he reminds her of her daughter or son as the case may be. Do you think this is true with Fathers also? More or less? What are your opinions about this topic as a whole?
The connection between a mother and a child cannot be describe with simple words. It is not only a connection of love. You have to think that mothers carry their babies for 9 months on their bellies, they talk to the unborn child, sing to them, have hopes and dreams for the child. The father can also share those feelings but it is not the same. The mother 'feel' the baby inside of her!. To think that the child you carried for 9 months, will ever become a serial killer or a thief, it is something that mothers in general are not willing to accept so easily.
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Although mothers can be biased, and often are, every person on a jury has the potential to be biased. If a black man is on trial, and there are black people on a jury, then they have are more likely to sympathize with the man. This could happen with any race, I am not attempting to single out blacks. Gender and political affiliation could also affect the jury. It would be almost impossible to ensure that those on a jury were unbiased. The very wording of the law concerning juries, 'a trial by his peers' mean that those who are similar to him/her.
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I think some of this may also come from the gender roles imposed by society. In general, men are supposed to be tough, unemotional, whereas women are supposed to be caring and gentle. Women who seem to be tough and unemotional are considered "butch" and men who seem caring and gentle are "fags", although this is usually not true. (Sorry, American idioms. "butch" is used to refer to a homosexual woman who has typical male characteristics; "fag" is used to refer to a homosexual man who has typical female characteristics).
Student is right about jury bias towards races. In the infamous O. J. Simpson trial, his criminal hearing found him not guilty (with a jury of predominately black people), but his civil suit trial found him guilty (with a jury of predominately white people).
In Southern states, even as recently as the late 1980's, blacks were excluded (illegally) from serving on juries, even if the person on trial was a black person.
On another note, jurors do not see the person on trial (before the trial starts) unless they watch the news. Anybody watching the news has the ability to get a preconceived notion about the guilt or innocence of the person on trial.
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Student is right about jury bias towards races. In the infamous O. J. Simpson trial, his criminal hearing found him not guilty (with a jury of predominately black people), but his civil suit trial found him guilty (with a jury of predominately white people). |
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I totally understand being biased. It would really take a "special" parent to say that "I created a monster and I totally believe that they did these horrible things...sorry". Those would and should be indeed rare cases. From the time your child is born, you want nothing but the best for them...and that doesnt include a prison cell. In addition, people in general try to think the best of a individual until given ample reason to judge them harshly - definitely said generally as I know a few that think the opposite first!
Just a thought,
Vincenzo
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