Criminology Unit 3 Topic 3.1 examines the critical evaluation of information validity in legal contexts, focusing on trial transcripts, court judgements, and law reports. The assessment of validity encompasses five key elements: bias, accuracy, currency, opinion, and circumstances.
• Trial transcripts serve as digital documentation of Crown Court proceedings, essential for appeals and parole board reviews
• Court judgements require thorough validity assessment, particularly in significant cases like Hillsborough inquests
• Law reports are fundamental to the doctrine of precedent, ensuring consistency in legal decisions
• Sources of legal information are ranked by trustworthiness, with expert testimony and forensic evidence typically ranking highest
• Validity assessment must consider multiple factors including bias, accuracy, and currency of information
