13 ADVANCED VOIR DIRE:SITTING ON THE ANALOGUEBY THE STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESSThe art of voir dire, no matter who the practitioner, is incapable of transformingpersonal attitudes and biases developed over lifetimes. Voir dire, however, is capable ofexposing those attitudes and biases so that the lawyers and the trial judge are able to evaluatethose preconceptions against the issues and personalities involved in a particular case. Assignificant, voir dire can reveal those individuals who are open-minded enough on certainmatters that they can give a case a fair hearing.For voir dire to function effectively the questioner or interviewer must obtain honestand candid disclosures from the potential jurors. Voir dire inherently contains certainobstacles to candid and honest responses by the venirepersons.One factor that impedes open and honest communication is the "spotlight" syndrome.Regardless of whether a potential juror must answer in the privacy of sequestered, individualvoir dire or in the public forum of group voir dire, he or she is "in the spotlight" as judge,prosecutor, defense lawyer, defense lawyer, court reporter, court personnel, fellow jurors,spectators and media representatives listen and record the venireperson's answers, opinionsand ideas.Another impediment to frank and open juror responses is the artificiality of voir dire.As a result of the judicial orientation, potential jurors are aware to some degree of the factsand issues in the case as well as the roles played by the judge, prosecutor and defense counsel.In this context, venirepersons are likely to guess the "right' or "expected" answers. This is