The effect of different imaging techniques for the visualisation of evidence in court on jury comprehension

Abstract

Evidence presented within a courtroom should be clear so that the members of the jury can understand it. The presentation of distressing images, such as human remains, can have a negative effect on the jury since photographic images may evoke emotional responses. Therefore, it is important to understand how other visual mediums may improve comprehension, bias, or distress individuals. For this study, 91 individuals were randomly assigned one of three visual evidence formats in a mock courtroom exercise. These included photographs, 3D visualisations, or a 3D-printed model. The results show that the use of 3D imaging improves the juror’s understanding of technical language used within a courtroom, which in turn better informs the juror’s in their decision-making.