Jury Reform: An Analysis of Juror Perceptions of the Criminal Court System

Little empirical evidence exists to suggest that jurors may develop negative perceptions of the court system which may affect an objective finding of guilt or innocence. This present study examined a number of attributes of jurors, including juror demographic characteristics, time expended in jury selection and deliberation, and juror perceptions of the defense attorney and the prosecuting attorney. A questionnaire was mailed to 462 randomly selected individuals who had served as criminal court jurors during 1983 and 1984. The questionnaire elicited demographic information (e.g., age, sex, race, etc.); general details about the court case the juror had served; and attitudinal responses about the court system; the defense attorney, and the prosecuting attorney. These attributes were then examined with respect to the extent they affected jury decision outcomes.