In the United States, people who are accused of crimes sit - TopicsExpress

In the United States, people who are accused of crimes sit alongside their defence lawyers at the bar table. This makes it easier for them to communicate with their legal team and reduces the likelihood that jurors will presume their guilt. But this is not the situation in Australia or most European countries, where accused persons are kept in enclosures called ‘docks’. Research by Professor David Tait of the UWS suggests that being presented to juries in a dock significantly increases the chance of a person being found guilty, especially if they are contained in a glass enclosure. The findings suggest that the way accused persons are presented to juries in Australia may create an unfair prejudice and affect the presumption of innocence. Our latest Blog post has more.