JURY REFORMS Flashcards
Suggestion for Reform:
Require the jury to give reasons for their decisions.
Why would this be a good reform to the current jury system?
If the jury were required to give reasons for their decision, the accused would know why they were found guilty and the parties in a civil case would know why the jury decided the way it did. The parties would also know if attention had been given to points of law.
This would be more satisfying for the parties, but may lead to more appeals due to thoughts that the jury had not followed the law as explained by the judge.
Suggestion for Reform:
Have a specialist foreperson.
Why would this be a good reform to the current jury system?
The jury is unfamiliar with the legal system and court procedure. A specialist foreperson could inform the jury on the relevant law and court procedure, which could assist in the jury’s decision-making.
This may also impact the jury due to the specialist foreperson carrying too much weight during deliberation.
Suggestion for Reform:
Have the jury take part in sentencing.
Why would this be a good reform to the current jury system?
Currently the jury’s decision ends at ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’. By allowing the jury to hear the facts and decide on an appropriate sentence or at least participate in the sentencing process, it is ensured that the community values regarding crime and punishment are followed closely.
This could be ineffective as a reform to the jury system however, because sentencing can be the most difficult part of a judge’s job and thus there are worries about allowing inexperienced jurors to handle that.
