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Over 50 years ago, former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall observed, “When any large and identifiable segment of the community is excluded from jury service… its exclusion deprives the jury of a perspective on human events that may have unsuspected importance in any case that may be presented.” Join us for a conversation about jury diversity. We will review behavioral science research on how a group’s composition affects its dynamics and performance, and will discuss the ways in which jury diversity adds to the deliberative process and bolsters confidence in our court system.
Panelists:
- Prof. Samuel Sommers, Chair Department of Psychology, Tufts University
- Prof. Valarie Hans, Charles F. Rechlin Professor of Law, Cornell Law School
- William Snowden, Founder, The Juror Project
Moderator: Monica Milton, Public Defense Counsel, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
This is the first of five webinars in the Toolbox for Understanding and Solving the Diverse Jury Problem Webinar Series. Join us for the following sessions in June:
- The path to a diverse jury panel, June 1
- Criminal history exclusions and jury diversity, June 10
- Implicit bias and juror decision making, June 17
- Jury selection: Beyond intentional racial bias, June 30
This webinar series is presented by the Blueprint for Racial Justice Systemic Change Work Group.