NCJ Number
36056
Date Published
1975
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE IMPACT OF SIX - AND TWELVE-PERSON JURIES ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF SECURING CONVICTIONS IS STUDIED THROUGH A PROCESS OF DEDUCTIVE COMPARISONS.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES FLAWS IN PREVIOUS EMPITICAL COMPARISON STUDIES OF THE RELATION BETWEEN JURY SIZE AND CONVICTION PROBABILITY. TWO ANALOGIES ARE CONSTRUCTED COMPARING FLIPPING COINS AND THE TENDENCY OF BOWLING PINS TO FALL WITH LIKELIHOOD TO CONVICT BASED ON STATISTICS DETERMINED IN EARLIER JURY RESEARCH. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ADOPTION OF RULES ALLOWING CONVICTIONS ON NONUNANIMOUS VERDICTS HAS MORE IMPACT ON INCREASING CONVICTION PROBABILITY THAN DOES ADOPTING A SIX-PERSON UNANIMOUS JURY SYSTEM.