Racial bias in jury selection hurts mock jurors, not just defendants: Testing one potential intervention

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Legal Psychology
• Jury Selection Studies

Background:

• Racial bias in jury selection is a persistent issue, particularly the exclusion of Black jurors in cases involving Black defendants.
• This practice raises concerns about fairness, due process, and the representativeness of the jury.
• Understanding the impact of such exclusions on juror attitudes and developing effective interventions are critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether the exclusion of Black prospective jurors influences the attitudes and perceptions of other jurors (Study 1).
• To test an intervention aimed at preventing racially biased jury selection by examining the effectiveness of warnings against race-based decisions (Study 2).

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Participants (N=228) observed a simulated jury selection; half experienced differential exclusion of Black jurors.
• Study 2: Participants (N=298) acted as prosecutors, choosing between a Black and White prospective juror for a case with a Black defendant.

Main Results:

• Exposure to race-based jury exclusions negatively impacted fairness perceptions and emotional responses, particularly for Black participants (Study 1).
• Participants showed a bias towards excluding Black jurors but provided race-neutral justifications (Study 2).
• Warnings against race-based decisions effectively eliminated this bias in juror selection (Study 2).

Conclusions:

• Race-motivated jury exclusions harm defendants by denying them a jury of their peers and negatively affect remaining jurors.
• A warning intervention shows promise in mitigating the influence of race on prosecutorial decisions during jury selection.
• Addressing racial bias in jury selection is crucial for ensuring a fair and equitable justice system.