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JURY TRIALS

NCJ Number
56221
Author(s)
J BALDWIN; M MCCONVILLE
Date Published
1979
Length
150 pages
Annotation
VERDICTS IN A SERIES OF JURY TRIALS HEARD IN BIRMINGHAM AND LONDON, ENGLAND, IN 1975 AND 1976 ARE EVALUATED AGAINST THE OPINIONS OF JUDGES, LAWYERS, AND POLICE OFFICERS TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF CONTROVERSY AND DOUBT.
Abstract
THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 2,406 CONTESTED CASES IN BIRMINGHAM AND 347 CONTESTED LONDON CASES INVOLVING MORE THAN 5,000 DEFENDANTS. NEARLY 500 JUDGES, POLICE OFFICERS, AND LAWYERS WERE INTERVIEWED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CASES ON BOTH LEGAL AND EXTRALEGAL ASPECTS. ANALYSIS OF THE COMPARED DATA INDICATES THAT THERE IS CONSIDERABLE DISSATISFACTION ON THE PART OF THE JUDGES, POLICE OFFICERS, AND LAWYERS ABOUT JURY-DELIVERED VERDICTS IN BOTH BIRMINGHAM AND LONDON. FURTHERMORE, A SMALL NUMBER OF CONVICTIONS WERE DEEPLY DISTURBING TO ALL GROUPS OF RESPONDENTS, INCLUDING THE POLICE. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH INCIDENCE OF ACQUITTALS IN BIRMINGHAM THAT ARE REGARDED AS QUESTIONABLE BY DIFFERENT GROUPS OF RESPONDENTS, WITH ONLY ONE-THIRD OF ACQUITTALS BEING CONSIDERED AS JUSTIFIED BY ALL RESPONDENTS. RESPONDENTS DIFFERED IN THE SORT OF FACTORS THEY SAW AS RELEVANT TO A PARTICULAR OUTCOME AND LIKELY TO HAVE INFLUENCED THE JURY'S DECISION. THE STRENGTH OF THE DEFENSE'S CASE AND THE SYMPATHY OF THE JURY FOR THE DEFENDANT WERE PRESUMED TO BE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FACTORS. THERE WAS GENERAL AGREEMENT AMONG RESPONDENTS THAT JURY CONVICTIONS WERE JUSTIFIED (84.4 PERCENT). RESPONDENTS WHO VOICED CONCERN ABOUT JURY CONVICTIONS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE JURIES' TENDENCIES TO CONVICT ON INADEQUATE EVIDENCE OR THEIR FAILURE TO COMPREHEND ISSUES INVOLVED. IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS ARE EXAMINED IN VIEW OF JURY COMPOSITION AND THE ABILITY OF PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS TO SECURE AN ACQUITTAL. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE ABILITY OF PROFESSIONALS TO MANIPULATE THE JURY TRIAL IS MORE APPARENT THAN REAL AND THAT NO RELATIONSHIP IS NOTICEABLE BETWEEN THE COMPOSITION OF THE JURY AND THE VERDICT RETURNED. ALMOST NO OVERALL PATTERNS OR FACTORS WERE EVIDENT TO EXPLAIN QUESTIONABLE VERDICT; THUS THE FINDINGS DO NOT SUGGEST ANY IMMEDIATE WAY THAT THE IMPRECISION OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM CAN BE REDUCED. TABULAR DATA, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)

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