To state that the producers of the new series of Broadchurch are irresponsible?

[AWholeLottaNosy]

I say this because their portrayal of how the criminal justice system is innacurate and misleading. A victim or their family CANNOT choose their prosecutor as portrayed in this series, a crime is prosecuted on behalf of the state, not the victim ( or their families ) . They also would not meet with a victim's family or other witnesses to work together to prosecute a crime.

This pisses me off because I have not only worked in the criminal justice system but also for an organisation that supported victims and witnesses and they were frequently under the misapprehension that they would have their own lawyer and were often angry and upset when they realised that that was not the case.

C'mon, ITV, it's not exactly rocket science to do your research and accurately portray how the. CJS works in the UK. This isn't the American system. However I feel that actually they don't care and are just doing this for dramatic purposes. Most people don't understand how the system works and these kinds of programs ( which will be watched by millions ), does us all a disservice...?

[JanineStHubbins]

It's a TV drama, not a public service announcement. YABU.

[vestandknickers]

Shame on the writers of this drama for doing something for dramatic purposes!

[Bowlersarm]

That is quite a big error then.

[Bowlersarm]

I think it should be factually correct,op, I agree with you.

[MsPavlichenko]

I found it annoying too, and have no specialist legal background. Not sure why they've done it as US legal system doesn't work like this either.

That said, there has been a fair bit of fuss about it so folk will be aware that this isn't how it works hopefully. Other than that I'm enjoying it.

[FreudiansSlipper]

counselling sessions are very rarely like they are shown in films or tv dramas though I love the therapy sessions in The Sopranos all that transference and erotic transference going on makes great entertainment

which is just as well as it is often far less dramatic

i would stop taking the programme so seriously

it was great drama

[AWholeLottaNosy]

Fine, but these dramatisations do have an affect on real people! And make it harder for those people working in those professions, as well as victims and witnesses attending court. It causes greater distress to them which is why I believe program makers do have a responsibility to be accurate.

However I see what I'm saying is going to fall on deaf ears here...

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

This isn't the American system. It doesn't work the way you describe in the US, either. The prosecution represents the state, not the victim(s). Most states and the federal government have provisions that require the victim to be notified about progress in the case, etc., and some jurisdictions afford victims greater rights than others, but the prosecution represents the interests of the state.

[flymetotheprune]

YABU it's just entertainment innit?

My personal fave prog is Game Of Thrones but I am under no illusion that there really are dragons, giants and walking corpses out there in the real world

[seaoflove]

I see your point, but I'm sure if the writers made every attempt to portray the workings of UK criminal justice system accurately, it would make for really boring television.

[MrsWembley]

Yep, not watching it, but a change in reality like that is quite a biggy! It does alter how ordinary bods see the world and you're right, upsets them when they have the misfortune to find out what really happens.

I do get cross when stuff like that happens. DP laughs at me when I shout at the television, but I need some facts in my fiction!

[AWholeLottaNosy]

I really enjoyed the first series and was looking forward to this one but I don't think I want to watch it now as I know I'll get too annoyed!

[ghostyslovesheep]

YABU it's not real

[Bowlersarm]

My ears aren't deaf. I agree with you. It's very lazy of the writers/producers not to work reality into their storyline. Much less hard work and dramatic to make things up.....

[FreudiansSlipper]

you could say that about everything shown on tv

and then what people read on the internet

and what their neighbours cats cousins sisters daughters friend experienced

could you really show a drama of having to wait around for hours, papers going missing, people turning up at the wrong time much of what goes on does not make interesting drama does it

[AWholeLottaNosy]

Would it make for 'really boring television' if it was portrayed accurately? Having worked in that field for many years I don't think so but I think more people would be about how the system actually works...

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

It's a different issue from programs like GOT. I agree that incorrect depictions of the justice system can do harm and that artists should be more responsible. It is ok to take some artistic license, but the overall depiction should be based in reality.

[BarbarianMum]

I agree with you - a bit of dramatic license is one thing, complete misrepresentation of the legal process in a crime drama is another.

[AWholeLottaNosy]

Maybe people would be more interested in changing the system if they saw how it actually worked...

[Pagwatch]

It's not real.

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

A good example of a legal drama that takes liberties, but that is essentially accurate is The Good Wife. It's not boring television.

[AWholeLottaNosy]

To the extent that they would realise how little say victims ( and their families) actually have in the whole process, which causes massive distress to people.

[FreudiansSlipper]

but it is not a court drama that is part of the story

I have never been in a hospital that seems to run as smoothly as it does in casualty the staff seem to spend much of their time gossiping and they never look tired

[DinoSnores]

This showed a real life murder trial and was fascinating but hardly made for dramatic television:

www.channel4.com/programmes/the-murder-trial/on-demand

[BOFster]

Have you read the main Broadchurch thread? We were all saying much the same thing on Monday night. And heaping scorn on the exhumation procedure too. But we all love a bit of the Mumsnet Saint Olivia Colman, so I'm sure we'll stick with it .