FOR REY WRITER ONLY assignment on 12 angry men GOV

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PS 1010-American Government

Fall 2016

Essay #3: A Response to Twelve Angry Men

Directions: For this assignment, you will respond to a series of questions regarding Twelve Angry Men and its representation of the American judicial process. Select and respond to FIVE (5) questions below. Your responses

should address BOTH the film itself and the concepts from lecture/readings it invokes; good responses will not only

address the relevant aspect of the film but also refer extensively to course concepts and readings. Responses which just address the film and/or your opinion only will NOT receive full marks.

Questions: Select FIVE (5) questions from the following list. Note that many of these questions are answered regarding the film as a whole, and not necessarily at one particular moment.

1. What does “reasonable doubt” mean? Why is it the standard we use in convicting? Should we?

2. Consider the jury’s demographic composition. Do you think it is “balanced?” Why or why not? What implications could this have on the verdict?

3. What are the facts of this case? What was the crime? How was it committed? What was the motive? (These come

out as the film progresses.)

4. The jury deliberative structure is very un-structured as you see. Should we change this? How does this benefit discussion? Hamper?

5. How do the various backgrounds of the jurors influence their views? What about their interactions with each other?

6. Juror 8 (the initial “not guilty” vote) questions the competency of the defense lawyer. Can one get a fair trial if a lawyer performs incompetently? Should the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of counsel also be interpreted to mean

“competent representation?” Why or why not?

7. How does this particular jury demonstrate America’s commitment to procedural equality? How does it not?

8. What does this film suggest about eye-witness testimony? Can it be “colored by the personalities who present it?”

9. What does this film suggest about the prevalence and influence of stereotypes within the American legal system (and society at-large)? How much weight do the “facts” actually carry?

10. How does further deliberation after each vote affect the outcome? Is “reasonable doubt” being “orchestrated” or

was it always there?

11. How long do you think a jury should deliberate before being “hung?”

12. What does this film suggest about “groupthink?” How can it negatively impact a jury’s deliberations (or court case itself)?

Format: You should type your responses for each question, using 1 ½ spacing. Questions should be clearly labeled; I

suggest putting the question in bold and then starting the answer below it. Please use normal one-inch margins, with

Times New Roman 12-point font, with your name placed at the beginning of the paper. Please paginate your essay (i.e. page numbers should appear on your pages!). Please do not provide a cover page; your name at the beginning of the

document is sufficient.

Citations: You should rely ONLY on the film, class readings, and lecture discussions in composing your responses. As

such, there is no need to formally cite. If you refer to a class reading, note the author and/or title; if you refer to a class

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concept, note the concept itself in your answer – DO NOT CITE MY POWERPOINTS. Example: “The film demonstrated

the idea of procedural equality, where American courts focus on procedural fairness rather than on substantive outcomes.” I already know where you found the material; I want you to demonstrate to me that you know how to apply it!

Submission: A paper copy of your essay will be submitted to me on the due date noted below. I reserve the right to

submit the essay to SafeAssign in the event that I believe plagiarism and/or cheating has occurred. Please be sure to have a printed, STAPLED copy of your essay; I cannot accept emailed essays except in extenuating circumstances. [Example: a

doctor’s note indicating illness is acceptable, but an emailed paper stating that you overslept is not.]

Grading: In grading your essay, I will assess each response independently – with each response worth 10 points (for a

total of 50 points). Responses will be graded on the following criteria:

 Length – answer does not exceed three paragraphs in length, nor is too short;

 On-topic – answers address the inquiry only, and do not go off on tangents or incorporate extraneous material;

 Application – answers should refer extensively to the film, class concepts, and readings, applying them to the topic at hand; such incorporation should demonstrate mastery of the concepts and not just mere connection (i.e. tell me why the concept applies, not just “This demonstrates X”); and

 Quality: answers should be written with minimal grammar errors and in a syntactically pleasing manner.

Questions? See me! I am available to help with any component of this essay. However, I will not review formal drafts;

instead, I will respond to direct inquires only. Example: ask me a question about a particular question or answer: “Did I apply procedural fairness correctly here?”; do not just request that I read your answer and tell you what is wrong. I am

available to help with this essay until 24 hours before the due date.

***THIS ESSAY IS DUE AT 12:50 P.M. ON DECEMBER 5, 2016 IN CLASS WITH A STAPLED, PRINTED

COPY***