Inside the Scottish jury room

Chalmers, J. and Leverick, F. (2023) Inside the Scottish jury room. In: Keane, E. and Robson, P. (eds.) The Ian Willock Collection on Law and Justice in the Twenty-First Century. Series: Series in Law, Culture and the Humanities. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, pp. 89-109. ISBN 9781683932512

Abstract

While the history of the Scottish criminal jury is well understood, thanks in large part to Ian Willock’s extensive work on the topic, its actual operation remains opaque even in the present day. Strict rules on contempt of court preclude research which might question jurors on their deliberations. While worldwide, extensive research has been carried out with mock juries shedding light on how they operate in practice, the extent to which this research is applicable to Scotland is unclear given the unusual characteristics of the Scottish jury (15 members, three verdicts, and decisions by simple majority). In 2017, the Scottish Government commissioned a ground-breaking programme of mock jury research designed to explore how the distinctive features of the Scottish jury system affect decision-making. This chapter explains that programme of research, its results, and their implications.

• Item Type: Book Sections (Other)
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Chalmers, Professor James and Leverick, Professor Fiona
• Authors: Chalmers, J., and Leverick, F.
• Subjects: K Law > KD England and Wales > KDC Scotland
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Law
• Publisher: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
• ISBN: 9781683932512

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