Frames
The following is an example of which type of frame?
We all want what’s best for you. Why didn’t you tell the jury that you were drinking the night of the incident?
False Friend
Who has the most power in the courtroom?
The Judge
What is syntax?
Word order and/or sentence structure
Which of the following phrases are semantically incongruent?
A. Vulnerable child
B. Angry perpetrator
C. Honest criminal
D. Indifferent bystander
C. Honest Criminal
A. Set Up
B. Abstract
C. Lens
D. Presupposition
C- Lens
Who did the article define as “vulnerable” in the legal realm?
Child witnesses and adult rape victims
Where is the attention placed in the following sentence?
“Man loses job after woman’s allegations”
On the man
Which noun could be used in conjunction with “upstanding citizen” to paint a nonthreatening image of a suspect?
A. Attack
B. Rape
C. Misconduct
D. Assault
C. Misconduct
Name five people/groups that can be influences by framing during a trial
Witnesses, the defense, the prosecution, the defendant, the jury, the media, the judge, etc.
According to the article, what percent of sexual assault victims know their assailants?
A. 20%
B. 40%
C. 60%
D. 80%
D. 80%
Why might the defense prefer that the headlines omit any mention of the victim and instead are structured around the person on trial?
It dehumanizes the crime by leaving the victim ambiguous and painting the person on trail as the protagonist.
What impact could referring to a victim as a “trouble-mater” have on the jury’s impression of the child?
They may trust the child’s testimony less because they do not fit the stereotypical image of a sexual assault victim.
Create a newspaper headline for a sexual assault that makes the perpetrator appear less guilty. Justify your answer with linguistic terminology.
Defend your statement
Does society have any stereotypes around how a rape victim “should” or “should not” behave? How does this impact trial? Which side will this likely help?
Stereotypes- fight back, not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, children make up stories and/or lie, past sexual history, etc.
Helps the defense because it is likely that the jury will subconsciously identify with these beliefs and it will make it easier to create reasonable doubt.
In the sentence “a woman was raped in the park,” what does the omission of the assailant attempt to do?
It separates blame from the defendant.
If during a cross-examination the defendant is introduces as a former “friend” of the victim, how may this impact the jury?
The word friend has a positive connotation because friends do not typically seek to cause each other harm, it may cast doubt in the jury’s mind as to if the defendant could have harmed the victim.
How does framing shape the jury’s perception of both the primary and secondary realities?
Answers may vary but need to define primary and secondary reality and connect back to framing.
Primary= courtroom
Secondary= the event under investigation
The article contained the following statement from a rape victim:
“any lower [of a rape conviction] and they might as well give every woman a gun and make rape legal.”
What does her statement mean and how does this relate to power on a larger scale?
She feels like the legal system does not provide protection or justice. It sends a message that rapists can get away with it which makes it less likely that assault victims will come forward in the future.
If a lawyer negates a sentence with a negative connotation, such as “you are not a prostitute, right?” what is the jury likely to remember?
The introduction of the word prostitute in relation to the victim, even if there is no correlation.
What is the term for the professional who acts as an “interpreter” between a child witness and legal professionals?
An intermediary