Unfair Representation on Juries in America

Unfair Representation on Juries in America INTRODUCTION One of the largest problems plaguing the American judicial system has been ensuring that juries in civil and criminal trials are truly representative of the communities in which they serve. Historically, minorities have been disproportionately excluded from jury service. This is a result of many forces such as a low response rate to jury summonses by minorities, a high percentage that claim hardships, a feeling by lawyers that …

…religion, nationality, wealth, age and race because of the small size of juries (twelve people), however, the experiences of members of different racial and ethnic groups tend to differ in ways that may affect their perceptions of some issues. Diverse viewpoints are more important to a jury’s performance than diverse skin color, but promoting diversity of race and ethnicity may provide a more viable way of ensuring a variety of ideas, lifestyles, and experiences.