How efficient is our system of criminal trial Does it really do the basic job we ask of it — convicting the guilty and acquitting the innocent It is often said that the British trial system is more like a game than a serious attempt to do justice. The lawyers on each side are so engrossed in playing bard to win, Challenging each other and the judge on technical points, that the object of finding out the truth is almost forgotten. All the effort is concentrated on the big day, on the dramatic cross examination of the key Witnesses in front of the jury. Critics like to compare our "adversarial" system (resembling two adversaries engaged in a contest) with the continental "inquisitorial" system, under which the judge play a more important inquiring role.
In early times, in the Middle Ages, the systems of trial across Europe were similar. At that time trial by "ordeal" — especially a religious event — was the main way of
A. questions whether the system of trial by jury can ever be completely efficient
B. suggests a number of reforms which should be made to the legal systems of various countries
C. describes how the British legal system works and compares it favourably with other systems
D. compares the legal systems of a number of countries and discusses their advantages and disadvantages
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