1. Plea bargaining has become very controversial in many states, and some states have eliminated it as a part of the prosecution process. Is plea bargaining good or bad?
2. The news media can affect jury and court decisions by publicizing information about a criminal case before it goes to trial. May police refuse to give information to the press if doing so might jeopardize the case in court? How significantly does such publicity affect the trial?
3. Should criminal trials be televised? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
4. What is the investigator's role in preparing a case for court? How does the investigator cooperate with the prosecutor to enhance the courtroom presentation?
5. Imagine that you are preparing a final report for the prosecutor. What materials should you include? How should you organize them to show the continuity of your investigation and the way you gathered evidence related to the elements of the offense charged?
6. If you were accused of a crime, would you prefer a trial with or without a jury?
7. Why would a defendant choose a jury over a bench trial, or vice versa?
8. Does an acquittal mean that the investigator failed?
9. How prevalent do you believe "testilying" (not telling the truth) is by law enforcement officers?
10. If you were to testify in a major case, what would you wear?