Criminal records have been one of the most trusted documents for numerous events, from accusing to defending, and it is crucial to have an overview of the defendant, which has been enrolled by the British and Australian laws. I believe it is essential to give the jury the overall view of the defendant to help them make decisions based on their records, while also providing a document that gives them the view of the defendant.
First and foremost, inside the court, where the jury holds the verdict for the case, and by having the access to the defendant’s criminal record, the jury could see both the behaviour of the litigant on court, as well as to compare them to the current verdict that has been given to them. In many perspective, it does not affect the jury and the judge verdict, as the criminal record gives them to see the defendant as a whole, and they could see their improvement as well as their situation. By giving the jury the criminal record, it could be an important factor to help the jury to consider different sides of the case, which this may help the suspect by them the proof to their innocence, or improvement.
On the other hand, if the situation falls into bad hands, it could lessen the jury’s verdict. It is an event that should be taken seriously, and to prevent the jury from being less objective, the criminal records needs to be accurate, as well as writing in a third person position, to give an unbiased view.
To conclude, it is satisfactory to authorize the jury to see the defendant criminal record to give them the most comprehensive perspective of the suspect, but the procedure of the records should be complete and objective to the reality.