Break Through The Bar

One of the most dreaded types of questions in interviews are the current affairs/ topical questions. 

When I was first preparing for them for my scholarship interview I had no idea how to go about it… hopefully this will give you some insight on how to prepare well enough that you can handle whatever topic is thrown your way!

Step One: Write the Question Down

Jot it down briefly, sometimes they are long and have two parts, you don’t want to forget to address part of it.

Step Two: Take a Breath

Don’t rush into an answer. You will end up waffling and with an answer that hasn’t been thought out properly.

Step Three: Consider Your Angles

There are often different angles you can take on topics to create a full argument. You can often break them down and consider the implications of the topic on the following:

• Social
• Economical
• Political
• Moral
• Legal

Step Four: The Rule of Three

There seems to be something about choosing three points that works well.

“The early release of prisoners is a denial of justice for victims”

Agree

• Undermines sentencing authority
• Erodes victims’ / public trust
• Deterrence impact

Disagree

• More chance for rehabilitation
• Practical necessity
• Judicial awareness

What Developing This Answer May Look Like

An Example

I can see the argument that the early release of prisoners amounts to a denial of justice for victims, and I would make that case on three grounds.

First, it risks undermining the authority of sentencing. If a judge hands down a sentence which is then cut short by an administrative scheme, it can appear that the court’s decision has been diluted.

Second, it can erode the confidence of victims and the wider public. Victims in particular may feel that the harm they have suffered has not been properly acknowledged, which in turn can weaken trust in the criminal justice system.

Third, there is the deterrence point. The certainty of punishment is central to deterrence, and if offenders know that they will only serve part of their term, the impact of the sentence as a deterrent may be reduced.

How to Manage Time in the Interview

Now you may be thinking, how do you go through all of these steps within the short space of time after they have just asked the question within the interview?

Prior preparation.

If you have a go at creating arguments and ideas for the given examples on the previous page, you will likely come up with similar themes throughout. You can then tailor or adapt them to whatever topic may come up in your interview.

The Following Are Ideas or Themes You Could Tailor Depending on the Question

• Legal certainty
  Does the proposal strengthen or undermine legal certainty?
• Public confidence and trust
  Would it strengthen the trust in the justice system or government or undermine it?
• Democracy and accountability
  Does it enhance or erode democratic values like transparency, accountability, freedom of expression etc?
• Legal principles
  How does it affect legal principles such as proportionality, rehabilitation, deterrence, retribution?
• Moral or ethical values
  How does justice, fairness, equality, responsibility fit into the topic?
• Economics
  Practical cost implications — taxpayer burden? Cost effective?
• Practicality
  Is the proposal feasible? Or does it create more problems than it solves?