‘Diversity and Fairness in the Jury System’ Cheryl Thomas with Nigel Balmer Ministry of Justice Research Series 2/07 June 2007 THE STUDY Based on continuing concerns about the under-­‐representation of ethnic minorities on juries in this country, the Jury Diversity Project addressed two key questions: • How representative of the local community are those summoned for jury service, those serving as jurors and juries at each Crown Court in England and Wales? • Does ethnicity affect jury decision-­‐making? The four-­‐year research project was the first study of the representative nature of the jury service to compare the ethnic profile of jurors summoned and serving at each Crown Court in England and Wales to precise ethnic population profiles for each court, and to consider the relationship between juror ethnicity and other factors (gender, age, income, employment, religion, language) that may affect ability to serve. The report presented the findings of four separate but linked empirical studies: • A survey of the socio-­‐economic background of all jurors summoned in England and Wales in one week in 2003 and one week in 2005 (15,746 jurors). • A survey of the socio-­‐economic background of all jurors in jury pools, on jury panels and juries at three Crown Courts over a four-­‐week period (640 jurors). MYTHS: • Ethnic minorities are under-­‐represented among those doing jury service. • There is widespread avoidance of jury service by the British public in general. REALITY: Served Summoned Population Ethnicity of all jurors summoned & serving in relation to the population ( n=4,892) 92% 90% 8% 10% White BME 91% 9% MYTH: • The middle classes and the important and clever avoid jury service. REALITY: <£10K £10 -­‐ 19K £20 -­‐ 34K Jurors serving & not serving by income (n=4,486) 46% 54% 69% 31% 77% 23% 82% £35 -­‐ 49K 18% 85% £50 -­‐ 64K Served Did not serve 15% 79% 21% £65k + MYTH: • Young people are under-­‐represented among serving jurors. REALITY: 45% 43% Age groups of serving jurors & population (n = 3,581) 33% 29% Population (18-­‐69) Serving Jurors 11% 10% 18-­‐24 25-­‐44 45-­‐59 8% 8% 7% 6% 60-­‐64 65-­‐69 MYTH: • Juries are racially biased REALITY: • Verdicts showed no tendency to convict Black or Asian defendants more often than White defendants Analysis of all jury verdicts in all courts in England & Wales over 2 year period (>½ million charges & 69,000 verdicts) Jury conviction rate 67% 63% White Black 63% 64% 65% Asian Other Not Known Defendant ethnic group