NCJ Number
107504
Date Published
1987
Length
59 pages
Annotation
Research on juror selection and factors affecting jury decisionmaking are reviewed.
Abstract
Studies of pretrial jury selection surveys suggest that such selection methods may provide only a slight advantage, as the relationships between individual attitudes and dispositional characteristics and verdict preferences are not strong and probably are related to the particular case and trial location. In addition, while there are systematic relationships between juror dispositions and the deliberation process, no strategy yet provides a reliable method for jury selection. Social science research has provided insights into practical problems confronting jurors when evaluating evidence (e.g., using probabilistic information) and eyewitness identifications and when applying legal instructions (e.g., general comprehension, presumptive and curative instructions). It also has elucidated procedural areas that affect decisionmaking, such as joinder, jury size, and pretrial publicity. Such research has found applications in jury selection, motions to change venue, and the development of more simplified jury instructions. 106 references.