Year 10 - Citizenship
Deliberate discussion - Should all citizens take part in the legal system?
How can we play a part in the legal system?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils consider a range of roles within the legal system, explore what rights citizens have within the justice system and what influence they can have on the law.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to consider the arguments for and against citizens taking part in the legal system.
Key Notes
- Citizen involvement in law can boost fairness, relatability and democracy.
- Juries and magistrates can bring real-life views to legal decisions.
- Special constables can help build trust within their communities, reducing crime and keeping people safe.
- Legal complexity might sometimes confuse juries and untrained magistrates.
- Citizens can push for law reform but may face hurdles, like with the proposed legalisation of cannabis.
Vocabulary To Learn
- rationale: the reason or explanation for why something is done or believed
- analyse: the process of examining something in detail, breaking it down into its parts to understand it better
- volunteer: choosing to give time to help others, usually without being paid
- justice: fairness as a result of the application of a law, usually by a judge, in society
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Ordinary citizens don't really have any power or impact in the legal system.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Citizen involvement in law can boost fairness, relatability and democracy. Juries and magistrates can bring real-life views to legal decisions.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'rationale'
the reason or explanation for why something is done or believed.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Ordinary citizens don't really have any power or impact in the legal system. Correction: Citizens can play key roles, like serving as jurors, becoming magistrates or special constables, and even push for legal reforms, as shown by trade unions helping pass the Minimum Wage Act.
More Lessons In This Unit
- How do citizens influence the law? Study Guide
- How do citizens play a role in policing? Study Guide
- How have trade unions played a part in the legal system? Study Guide
- What key roles do citizens play within the criminal justice system? Study Guide
- Why is Magna Carta still relevant in today's society? Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 10 Citizenship guide library.