1. BIG question: do the juries in criminal trials make fair decisions?

2. 1. Characteristics of the defendant
Jury decisions
1. Characteristics of the defendant

3. Jury decision making
Juries are expected to consider the evidence/arguments presented to them in court and then to decide whether the prosecution has proven the defendant’s guilt ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’.
It is claimed that the characteristics of the defendant may influence the decisions that jurors make.

4. Apply what we’ve learned...
On 2nd September 2014 at a Crown Court in England two trials were proceeding.
The first was of Lakshmi Kapur, 24-year-old female fashion model. The other was of Nigel Garage, a 64-year-old businessman. They have both been accused of assaulting their respective partners.
Assess how the characteristics of these two defendants might affect the chance of them being found guilty. Justify your assessment with relevant theory and evidence.

5. Studies of the characteristics of the defendant
To make and sustain claims about how jurors act we must be confident that the evidence we are using is valid. In the UK (and many other countries) it is against the law for anyone to inquire into the jury’s deliberations.
What challenges does this present to researchers?

6. Studies of jury decision making
What issues are raised by…
Using PPs as ‘mock jurors’?
Using written scenarios as stimuli?
Asking ‘jurors’/PPs to make their decisions alone?
Manipulating defendant IVs using names/photos?
Sampling?

7. Research methods and statistics
As a group:
Design an experiment to investigate to investigate how characteristics of the defendant may affect a jury’s verdict.
Participant design.
IV, DV and controls.
Brief procedure.
Design your study to overcome ONE of the main limitations of typical studies of jury decision making.

8. Group critique

9. Reflection What have happened/what have you learned?
What has it made you think/feel?
What are you going to do?