Canadian Criminal Justice System: Social Media Analysis

844 Words4 Pages

Media is the main source for the public to acquire knowledge about the Canadian criminal justice system and plays a supreme role in creating the public’s perception. The media has substantially expanded in the past 10 years and has been introduced to speak out in negative and positive ways. The media has many different roles within the criminal justice system. This includes providing the public with knowledge to inform them about the police, courts, and as well as corrections. Every day, there are stories that go viral coming from the source of social media however media does have its pros and cons on the criminal justice system in Canada.

Media has helped police communicate with the public and vice versa. The police are able to broadcast …show more content…

This may cause the jury to be indecisive between what the actual case and what the media portrays it to be. The amount of media released for cases creates a negative impact within the courts and makes it difficult for a fair trial. When juries are uncertain about a case or a suspect, they result to social media platforms and news coverage that will provide them with more information and depth into the case. ‘’But if the case unfolds in the media, by the time a case gets to court, the supposedly impartial jury (or even the judge) may have already heard information and allegations (not admissible by court standards) that have caused them to seriously prejudice the parties’’. (Nedim, 2014). Another example of how media can affect the criminal justice system within the courts is when divorce courts are dealt with. Because social media is a popular way for people to communicate with each other. Many spouses would use photos, screen shots, texts, and call logs to use against each other for evidence. When social media is presented in courts, it is very important that one is not guilty of negative or threatening comments and can be used against them. Furthermore, social media within the courts could also be looked on in a positive way. It could help with more witnesses and evidence and to raise