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Getting to (not) guilty: examining jurors' deliberative processes in, and beyond, the context of a mock rape trial

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Louise Ellison  and
Vanessa E Munro
Louise Ellison
Affiliation:
University of Leeds
Vanessa E Munro
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham
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Abstract

In England and Wales, trial by jury is typically reserved for more serious offences and is by no means the norm of criminal prosecution. Despite this, the jury continues to hold enormous symbolic and practical significance. In a context in which research with ‘real’ juries is prohibited, this paper outlines the findings of a mock study in which members of the public deliberated towards a unanimous verdict, having observed an abbreviated rape trial reconstruction. It reflects on the structural processes (including the use of narrative, the presence of a foreperson and group/inter-personal dynamics) that framed the tone and direction of discussions. In so doing, it generates insight into what may go on behind the closed doors of the jury room in rape cases and – more broadly – highlights the ways in which differently composed juries, when faced with the same scenario, may reach divergent verdicts or embark on radically different routes to reach the same destination. In addition, it explores the extent to which participants, having been directed on appropriate legal tests and burdens of proof, were able to understand and apply these standards; and it reflects on the implications of this in terms of future improvement of the jury trial process, both in rape cases and beyond.

Type
Research Article
Information
Legal Studies , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , March 2010 , pp. 74 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © Society of Legal Scholars 2010

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