Juries In-depth: Jury Improvement Efforts

Overview

Beginning in the late 1970’s, many people began to recognize that the jury system was not operating as well as it could.  Since that time, and particularly since the mid-1990’s, at least 27 states and the District of Columbia have devoted extensive efforts to setting forth agendas for improving their jury systems.  A list of the reports of these jury improvement groups, along with links where many of the reports can be accessed, has been compiled by the Center for Jury Studies of the National Center for State Courts. 

The District of Columbia’s agenda provides a succinct example of many of the improvements recommended by most reports.
Arizona and California offer more extensive agendas.  New York's 2009 best practices guide seems to be informed by that state's earlier research reports on jury improvements and innovations.

This is not to say, however, that most of the items on any of the agendas have been accomplished.  In all jurisdictions, jury improvement is a “work in progress,” both because attitudes change slowly, and because many of the improvements take money, which states usually find in short supply.