THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE JURY SYSTEM AND THE RIGHT OF ELECTION FOR TRIAL

Criticisms of the jury system are far from new. In 1844 Lord Denman in a speech in the House of Lords stated: ''Trial by jury itself, instea d of being a security to persons who are accused will be a delusion, a mockery and a snare''. There is still a vociferous minority of those who believe it to be a delusion.(1) The purpose of this article is to suggest they are profoundly wrong and that change is possible without such a fundamental sacrifice.