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Monday, August 20, 2007
Ind. Courts - Results of study of Marion County jurors published
Jon Murray of the Indianapolis Star reports today that:
A team of researchers from Indiana University and ThemeVision LLC conducted the study, one of the first surveys that systematically pulled data from real jurors.This is just one section of today's story, which should be read in full. A side-bar sets out some suggestions on imrpoving juries in Marion County.ThemeVision is a jury consulting company affiliated with the Indianapolis law firm Barnes & Thornburg.
The results were published last month in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies.The survey seeks to remove some of the secrecy inherent in jury deliberations, which are conducted behind closed doors. Even court personnel are not allowed in the jury room.
While the researchers concluded that there was room for improvement, they also found much to praise about Marion County's jury system, pointing out that most juries thoroughly review the evidence before making a decision.
"There is this perception among the public that the jury system is not working as well as it is," said Dennis Devine, an associate professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. "Everyone who studies juries comes away with a better perception of juries, including me."
The survey, however, confirmed many jury experts' opinion that a few jurors can wield a disproportionate amount of influence over a trial.
The jury foreman's initial stance on a possible verdict and the presence of a leader of those on the jury supporting acquittal were both strong predictors of the verdict, the study found. Convictions, for example, were much more likely when the foreman initially thought the defendant was guilty, the study concluded.
About one in four juries included in the study reported deliberations were polarized enough that there were clear faction leaders, or noticeably vocal jurors.
Since the study began, the Indiana Supreme Court has relaxed some jury rules to encourage a fuller discussion of cases. Now, for example, jurors can discuss aspects of the case with one another during breaks in the trial, often resulting in speedier verdicts, some judges say.
The ILB has checked for the article online, but it does not appear to be available at this time. See abstract here.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 20, 2007 07:02 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts