DIFFERENCES IN THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF JURY DUTY (FROM OPERATIONS RESEARCH IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUSTICE, AND SOCIETAL SECURITY, 1976, BY S H BROUNSTEIN & M KAMRASS SEE NCJ-38116)

• NCJ Number: 38130
• Author(s): G T MUNSTERMAN; W R PABST
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: D C Heath and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF JURY DUTY ON CITIZENS, IN WHICH THE AUTHORS SHOW THAT THE BURDEN IS POORLY DISTRIBUTED AND SUGGEST A SIMPLE MEANS OF IMPROVING SUCH DISTRIBUTION.

Abstract

AFTER PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE RANGE OF JURY FEES AND TERMS OF SERVICE IN THE STATE COURTS, THE AUTHORS ATTEMPT TO ESTIMATE THE AVERAGE LOSS OF CITIZENS PER JURY TERM. IT IS NOTED THAT FEES RANGE FROM THREE TO SIXTEEN DOLLARS A DAY, AND THAT TERMS OF DUTY RANGE FROM ONE TO THIRTY-FIVE DAYS. A WIDE RANGE OF ECONOMIC LOSSES DUE TO JURY DUTY WAS FOUND; FOR EXAMPLE, FIGURES RANGED FROM 41 DOLLARS IN HOUSTON TO 1,586 DOLLARS IN LOS ANGELES FOR THE AVERAGE EMPLOYED MALE IN THE 40-44 AGE GROUP. FIGURES ARE ALSO PROVIDED ON THE TOTAL ECONOMIC LOSS DUE TO JURY DUTY. RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF JURORS TAKEN IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE ALSO REPORTED. ALTHOUGH THE REACTIONS OF JURORS SEEMED TO BE GENERALLY ENTHUSIASTIC. JURY EXCUSE PATTERNS ARE EXAMINED AS WELL. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT GREATER PROGRESS CAN BE MADE IN EQUALIZING THE BURDEN OF JURY DUTY BY SHORTENING JURY TERMS THAN BY ANY OTHER SINGLE ACTION.