The Jury Under Fire

Abstract

Abstract The Jury Under Fire: Myth, Controversy, and Reform examines a number of controversial beliefs about juries that have persisted in recent years, as well as the implications of these views for jury reform. It reviews empirical research on both criminal and civil juries that uses a variety of research methodologies: simulations, archival analyses, field studies, and juror interviews. Each chapter is titled with a mistaken assumption or myth about jurors or juries. The book critiques these myths and relies on social science research findings to inform empirically grounded reform efforts. It focuses on the experience of serving as a juror; jury selection and jury size; and the impact of evidence from eyewitnesses, experts, confessions, and juvenile offenders. It also covers the process of deciding damages and punishment and the role of emotions in jurors’ decision making, and it compares jurors’ and judges’ decisions. Finally, it reviews a broad range of efforts to reform the jury, including the most promising reforms that have a strong empirical foundation. Sample legal cases are included throughout the book to illustrate key points and promote reader interest. The book is unique in its comprehensive integration of social science research on juries, legal issues, and the real-world trials that splash across our headlines and television screens.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 41 citations exist upstream.