What are the pros and cons for having a mock trial?

Question

What effects does a mock trial have on a student, positive or negative?

Answer 1

If you are referring to a Mock Trial, as in, performing one where the students take the roles, I find them to be generally positive experiences. Of course, you'll have the students that don't care, and won't do anything to participate (unless forced by grades), but those that find it interesting will make it so.

Answer 2

Funny, I'm having to do a report on this for my Business Law class right now. I havn't found much as far as cons go and the information is pretty one sided. It seems to be an over all positive experiance for all those involved with good benefits in the sense of experiance, learning how trials are conducted, legal witness, the roles of the trials, etc. The only cons I could find would be maybe are that students are generally forced into roles, at least in my class they were, so they don't care about their job and can screw up the whole proceeding.

Answer 3

Con/negative:


There is no real punishment that will be delivered if found guilty so the fear factor isn't there to inspire the people in the mock trial.

Answer 4

The purpose of a mock trial is to show both sides of the issue. Therefore your question is ambiguous.