The Science of Justice

1 Brains on Trial: Neuroscience and Law

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20 okt. 2014

What if we could peer into a brain and see guilt or innocence? Brain scanning technology is trying to break its way into the courtroom, but can we—and should we—determine criminal fate based on high-tech images of the brain? Join a distinguished group of neuroscientists and legal experts who will debate how and if neuroscience should inform our laws and how we treat criminals.
 
The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.
 

Original program date: June 1, 2013
MODERATOR: Alan Alda
PARTICIPANTS: Anthony D. Wagner, Jay N. Giedd, Nita A. Farahany, Jed S. Rakoff, Kent Kiehl

Alan Alda’s Introduction 00:05

Participant Introductions 2:05

Brain imaging that can read your mind. 04:11

Can we trust what technology is telling us? 6:23

Can the brain imaging tell the difference between reality and imagination? 12:15

When does this information come into the courtroom? 14:43

fMRI and what it does. 18:22

Information bias and technology. 24:41

Printing images of your thoughts. 36:19

Teaching a computer the brain patterns to know it all. 39:30

Jed S. Rakoff, Kent Kiehl and Jay N. Giedd join the conversation. 46:21

Studding the adolescent brain. 48:13

How much is age a factor in sentencing? 53:25

Should we introduce mandatory brain scanning into criminal sentencing? 57:19

The influence of peer pressure on decision making. 1:02:50

Creating a mobile scanning unit for prisons. 1:08:45

If the presents of others in decision making is dangerous, how does a prison atmosphere effect the danger? 1:15:12

If someone is a psychopath should they just be given longer sentence? 1:22:25

What are the goals for the future of brain scanning and the legal system? 1:27:11

2 The Science Of Justice: Fudged Forensics & Faulty Witnesses

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24 sep. 2014

Think the American criminal justice system is an impartial arbiter of innocence and guilt? Prepare to get a heaping dose of reality, as journalist Jim Dwyer, Innocence Project founder Peter Neufeld, forensic scientist Mechthild Prinz, psychologist Saul Kassin and law professor Ekow Yankah talk about uncertainty in the courtroom at the World Science Festival event, “The Science of Justice: A Matter Of Opinion?”

3 Saul Kassin: “False Confessions”

7 sep. 2010

Saul Kassin discusses the remarkable phenomenon of false confessions in criminal investigations—which are far more common than one might expect. His research examines voluntary false confessions, as well as the influence of the interrogation setting, and the authority of the confession in the criminal justice system.
 
Professor Kassin is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. This interview is part of Vera’s Neil A. Weiner Research Speaker Series. For more information, please visit: http://www.vera.org/services/neil-wei…
 
The Vera Institute of Justice is an independent, nonprofit research and policy organization that combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety.
 
For more information about the Vera Institute of Justice, please visit: http://www.vera.org/

4 Human Head Alive In Jar, Knocking Biker’s Head Off, Bird Flies Out Of Cage Prank

15 feb. 2017

 

Filmed in Montreal, Quebec Welcome to the world-famous Just for Laughs Gags channel, where we pull public pranks on unsuspecting Montreal residents and tourists.