British juries may soon use virtual reality to “visit” crime scenes during trials

Justice may be about to go virtual.

These bizarre images might look like something out of the movie Minority Report, but they could be the future of the British justice system. A team at Staffordshire University have been experimenting with VR technology to "transport" jurors directly to the scene of the crime, while a lawyer guides jurors through the simulated evidence as they make their final decision. Real recordings of 999 calls, real witness testimony and actual architectural drawings of the locations in question will all be used to guarantee authenticity for members of the jury. According to a report by the BBC, the program is being led by a Staffordshire University research group and is supported by more than £140,000 from the European Commission. This method of crime analytics will likely become a staple of future courtrooms. Associate Professor of Forensics, Dr Caroline Sturdy Colls, said it was the first project of its kind in Europe. A spokesman for the UK Ministry of Justice said:

"Making the most of new technology will remove unnecessary hearings, cut costs for litigants and make justice more accessible."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hW7WcwdnEg In the same article, the head of justice services at the Staffordshire police, said it would help "bring to life" complex crime scenes "doing that in a way that is far easier for juries to understand and appreciate — which can only be good for everybody, for prosecution and defence." So far the most striking example of this technique has been used to re-create the death of teenager Travyon Martin who was shot and killed by neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. The immersive journalism virtual reality piece tells the story of the day of Martin's death and adds a new perspective to a crime that has been heavily reported in the mainstream media. On the flip side, a local barrister at a firm names Stevens Solicitors, said he was sceptical about what the new tech would mean for his job and the implication it could have on future trials:

"We don't have a very good track record with bringing technology into court rooms. We've recently gone on to a digital system within the Crown court and it's causing significant delays; the systems we're using break down, the technology isn't sufficient and we go back to pen and paper. It's causing delays in court, in my own experience."

Last year, a similar exercise was undertaken by a charity called Animal Equality who launched a campaign called 'iAnimal' designed to show the meat industry from an animal's perspective. By using a VR headset to transport viewers directly into a Spanish slaughterhouse, and by letting them watch themselves being cut to pieces, the simulation is enough to make you go vegan.