In England and Wales perpetrators of one of the gravest violent crimes, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, are very unlikely to receive any punishment at all
In the end, we must accept there are flaws in jury processes. But finding alternatives has proved difficult, hence the reluctance of governments to abandon the status quo.
Finding out what goes on behind jury decisions and the biases that influence them is hugely important if the criminal justice system is to work properly.
A video of Ahmaud Arbery was widely seen and shared by the citizens who could be called on to judge the accused killers. The issue was recently argued before the Supreme Court.
How does pretrial publicity affect jury verdicts? What kind of verdicts are made when the jury is racially diverse? An expert on juries answers questions raised in the wake of the Chauvin verdicts.
A hung jury does not necessarily undermine a verdict in a subsequent trial – it more likely means some of the jurors from the first trial agreed with the final verdict.
It’s not just race, gender and socioeconomic status that affect juror bias; sometimes it’s the actual way people on juries assess evidence and make decisions.
Stereotypes can undermine the fairness of criminal trials, but research can help us understand and counter the effect of stereotypes through law reform.
Using a robotic video camera to digitally recreate a crime scene could give juries greater insight without the logistical nightmare and potential bias of a physical visit.
A debate has erupted over the recent sentencing in the Stanford sexual assault case, with questions being asked over the judge’s bias, but could the same be said of jurors in other rape cases?