The Vagaries and Vulgarities of "Scientific" Jury Selection

Abstract

Beginning with such famous cases as the Harrisburg conspiracy trial, the use of "scientific" jury selection has gained wide publicity and numerous advocates. Both profit and nonprofit organizations are increasingly offering such services for "good" causes and/or hard cash. Yet no rigorous evaluation of scientific jury selection has ever been undertaken, and impressionistic data on its effectiveness are at best equivocal. In an effort to present a more balanced assessment, this paper undertakes a consciously skeptical examination of the kinds of survey data routinely used to inform the juror- selection process.