Jurors’ Trust in Courts and Decision Making in Criminal Cases

• In Event: Perceptions of Jurors and Justices

Abstract

Jury trials provide an important function in a democratic society, allowing the beliefs of community members to influence the criminal justice system (Pabst et al. 1976; MacCoun & Tyler 1988). Individuals take on an active role during jury service and jurors’ trust in legal authorities and institutions may affect their decision making. Prior research finds that black jurors are much more likely to vote for acquittal than white jurors, although the reasons for this racial gap are unclear (Sommers 2007). Black jurors are often accused of engaging in juror nullification, deciding to disobey the law because they believe that the criminal justice system is racist or otherwise unjust (Butler 1995; Rosen 1998). In contrast, recent research suggests that black jurors have higher levels of trust in the court system and are more likely to acquit because as a group they are more committed to due process and higher standards of justice than white jurors (Farrell, Pennington, & Cronin 2013). This mixed methods study examines this issue using actual jurors in one courthouse in the Southeast United States, combining court observations, in-depth interviews, and survey data.

Author

• Liana J Pennington, University of Alabama