Is Jury Selection Fair? Perceptions of Race and the Jury Selection Process

Abstract

This study explores jurors’ perceptions of whether the jury system is fair, and more specifically, the role, if any, race plays in perceptions of jury selection. Although Supreme Court decisions have held that discrimination in peremptory challenges based on race is prohibited, there remain questions as to whether these standards truly exist in the jury selection process. The current study failed to find sufficient evidence that jurors believe that racial bias had an impact upon their ability to serve on juries and failed to establish a relationship between views about racial representation on juries and system fairness. It did, however, find that a significant minority of jurors questioned the racial neutrality of the system, which in turn decreased perceptions of system fairness.