Public opinion and the jury: an international literature review
On 10 February 2009, the Ministry of Justice published a report (Public opinion and the jury: an international literature review) which draws on evidence from various surveys that have attempted to assess public attitudes to juries.
The report summarises the findings of such surveys, where possible comparing the views of the public in England and Wales with the attitudes of those from other jurisdictions.
The report advances a number of conclusions about the state of people’s attitudes to the criminal jury. It suggests that:
- polls repeatedly find that the public strongly supports the concept of the jury. The right to trial by jury is seen as one of the most important rights in a democratic society;
- the public believe that juries are representative of the communities from which they are drawn;
- the most recent survey of the public in England and Wales found a very positive reaction to serving on a jury. More than three-quarters of respondents expressed an intention to perform jury service out of a sense of civic duty;
- there is some evidence from the United States that serving on a jury promotes civil engagement;
- the literature review suggests that legislators contemplating restricting the right to trial by jury need to consider very carefully the strength of public support for this institution.
Public opinion and the jury: an international literature review
