jurydemocracy.org The Jury and Democracy: How Jury Deliberation Promotes Civic Engagement and Political Participation Professor John Gastil Department of Communication University of Washington Presentation at the 2009 ABOTA Natural Jury Summit

jurydemocracy.org

jurydemocracy.org Research Team Co-investigators –Perry Deess, Institutional Research, NJIT –Phil Weiser, School of Law, U Colorado-Boulder –Cindy Simmons, UW Dept of Communication Graduate student co-authors Jay Leighter, Laura Black, Stephanie Burkhalter, Mike Xenos, Leah Sprain, Andrea Hickerson. Undergraduate co-authors Jordan Larner, Tina Gall, and Ameer Dixit

jurydemocracy.org Overview 1.Deliberative democracy 2.National study of juries and voting 3.Panel survey in King County, WA 4.Final reflections

jurydemocracy.org Deliberative Democracy

jurydemocracy.org Key Concepts Deliberative democracy defined A society that makes its collective decisions through a democratic process featuring ongoing rigorous, respectful, and inclusive examination of public issues. Jury and deliberative democratic values –Inclusion of diverse perspectives and voices –Influential citizen roles beyond voting –Quality of public judgment –Public commitment to deliberative decisions, processes, and institutions

jurydemocracy.org Brief History of Deliberation Disappearance and Reemergence –Public discussion movement, 1920s-1930s –Receded during WWII, Cold War –Now resurgent across the globe Best Practices –British Columbia Citizens’ Assembly –Civil and Criminal Juries?

jurydemocracy.org National Study of Juries and Voting

jurydemocracy.org The Jury as Civic Classroom Two different effects –Learn about how justice system operates –Develop beliefs, capacities, and habits that promote civic engagement. Assumed or asserted to be true –de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America –U.S. Supreme Court (Powers v. Ohio) –Japanese “lay assessor” system

jurydemocracy.org “In Japanese society of the 21st century, it is incumbent on the people to break out of the excessive dependency of the state that accompanies the traditional consciousness of being governed objects, develop public consciousness within themselves, and become more actively involved in public affairs.” - Recommendations of the Justice System Reform Council, June 12, 2001 Theoretical Background

jurydemocracy.org National Research Sites

jurydemocracy.org Sample List of Jury Trials

jurydemocracy.org Sample List of Jurors

jurydemocracy.org Sample County Voter Database Measured five years before and after period of jury service

jurydemocracy.org Merging Databases JURORS VOTERS 65% match rate 8,614 jurors (1/3 civil)

jurydemocracy.org Key Findings Deliberative experience key variable –Hung juries and jurors reaching vedicts –Comparison group: Mistrial before delib. Other trial features –Number and nature of charges –Duration of trial and jury deliberation Effect only for infrequent voters participating in criminal trials

jurydemocracy.org Comparative Effects of Jury Service on Long-Term Voter Turnout Rates

jurydemocracy.org Panel Survey in King County, WA

jurydemocracy.org Survey Research Site

jurydemocracy.org Survey Design and Results Three-wave survey –Wave 1: Before serving –Wave 2: Shortly after service –Wave 3: Follow-up months later Extension of national survey –Replicated deliberation-voting link –Showed importance of “subjective experience” –Additional effects that reach beyond the criminal jury to include civil juries

jurydemocracy.org Jurors’ Subjective Experience Positive assessments –High average ratings for satisfaction with process and verdict, treatment by judges and attorneys –Only 2-4% of juries had even one member who believed their jury was not thorough, respectful –Similar ratings for civil and criminal juries Jury service relative to expectations –47% exceeded expectations –42% about what they expected –10% below expectations

jurydemocracy.org Significant Behavioral Effects Staying Informed –Follow politics/public issues –Talk politics (to learn) –Listen to news Discussing public affairs –Discuss community issues –Interest in local affairs Direct political engagements –Political volunteer work and group involvement –Talk politics (to persuade) –Attend political events

jurydemocracy.org Deliberation and Civic Attitudes Civic Faith Before Service Civic Faith After Service Quality of Jury Deliberation Satisfaction with Verdict

jurydemocracy.org Changing Views of Juries/Judges Empanelled jurors became –More confident in the jury system –Perceived greater fairness in crim. juries –More confidence in local/state judges –No change in perceived quality of civil juries –Stronger changes for first-time jurors Ideology predicted comparable effects (2004) –conservatives became more favorable toward the Supreme Court and Congress… –but more skeptical toward civil juries

jurydemocracy.org Reflections

jurydemocracy.org Reflections Securing the jury system –Preserving the civil (and criminal) jury system –Improving the quality of service experience Reframing the debate on juries –Juries as a model of democratic deliberation –Recognize and augment their civic impact –Celebrate and bolster the legitimacy of all deliberative public institutions

jurydemocracy.org