A jury of whose peers? The impact of selection procedures on racial composition and the prevalence of majority-white juries. Issue 1 (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gau, Jacinta M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of crime and justice. Volume 39:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 75
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Jury selection -- racial discrimination -- racial composition -- peremptory strikes -- minority jurors; Crime -- Periodicals; Criminal justice, Administration of -- Periodicals; Criminal psychology -- Periodicals; Crime -- United States -- Periodicals; Criminal justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; Police -- United States -- Periodicals; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1080/0735648X.2015.1087149
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0735-648X

Abstract

Abstract: Racially mixed criminal juries deliberate better and are viewed by the public as more legitimate than all-white and mostly-white juries. The constitution forbids racial discrimination in jury selection, and courts favor racially heterogeneous jury venires. Despite this, racial minorities continue to be under-represented on criminal juries. Limited information exists about the specific sources of these disparities and the frequency of all-white and mostly-white juries. This study compares the racial diversity of venires to that of panels, and both to the general population, to identify the steps in the jury-selection process that appear to be most strongly implicated in the loss of minorities. Additionally, the present analyses examine the for-cause and peremptory-challenge removals of jurors of different races. Finally, this study investigates the prevalence of all-white and mostly-white juries. The results have implications for enhancing the representation of minorities on both venires and panels.