NCJ Number
103398
Journal
Justice System Journal Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1986) Pages: 40-58
Date Published
1986
Length
19 pages
Annotation
The voir dire process in jury selection, in which prospective jurors are questioned about their possible biases in the case, has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. This article discusses psychological research and its implications for the conduct of the voir dire.
Abstract
The research indicates that individual, sequestered, open-ended questioning on issues directly relevant to the trial is the superior method for uncovering bias in prospective jurors. Furthermore, adversary attorneys appear to have a modest edge over judges in the detection of prejudice. The author notes that these findings must be balanced against other interests served by the voir dire process. (Publisher abstract)