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Ageism and the American Legal System.

Authors :
Eglit, Howard C.
Source :
Generations; Fall2005, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p59-65, 7p
Publication Year :
2005

Abstract

The article focuses on ageism in connection with the United States' legal system. It reflects that the present data shows an increases in the numbers of older people directly involved in the legal systems such as judges, lawyers, litigants, witnesses, law enforcers and legislators, which will continue to improve. It views ageism as a commonly understood malign mechanism doing harm to the old. It also explains it as a process of systematic stereotyping and discrimination against people because they are old. Based on this back ground the article analyzes the role of old people in a legal system. It comments that regarding the performance in the legal system it is important as a starting point to note that people of different age groups differ in discernible ways on at least some issues including the use of drugs, the death penalty, trust in governmental officials and abortion. The article draws attention to the fact that the courts regularly have rejected the contention regarding the proposal of age-diverse juries to correlate different views in the jury room.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
07387806
Volume :
29
Issue :
3
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Generations
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
19399885