NCJ Number
51823
Date Published
1978
Length
177 pages
Annotation
THIS 1977 STUDY CONDUCTED IN THE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH COURTS CONSIDERS JURY SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION EFFICIENCY, SYSTEM SENSITIVITY TO HUMAN ASPECTS OF SERVICE, THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, AND THE IMPARTIALITY OF JURIES.
Abstract
THE REPORT CONTAINS A SUMMARY OF DATA ON JURISDICTION POPULATION, NUMBER OF JUDGES, SOURCE LISTS, TERMS OF JURY SERVICE, AND JUROR COSTS AND NUMBERS. JURY SELECTION METHODS, SOURCE LIST COVERAGE, AND JUROR YIELDS ARE DISCUSSED AS WELL AS THE RESPONSIVENESS OF JURY MANAGEMENT TO COURT NEEDS. JUROR USAGE IS COMPUTED USING A JUROR USAGE INDEX AND ESTIMATIONS OF JUROR DAYS PER TRIAL AND NUMBER OF PEOPLE BROUGHT INTO JURIES. THE RANDOMNESS OF THE SELECTION PROCESS IS CONSIDERED ALONG WITH THE COSTS AND CONDITIONS OF JURY SERVICE. A SUMMARY OF OTHER JURY SYSTEMS IN UTAH IS PRESENTED FOR COMPARISON. A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVELOPED TO SURVEY JURORS ON JURY SERVICE ATTITUDES, AND RESULTS INDICATE THAT OVER HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS FEEL THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM IS DESIRABLE BUT THAT SEVERAL ACCOMMODATIONAL PROBLEMS EXISTS. A REVIEW OF CLERICAL FUNCTIONS NECESSARY TO BRING A JUROR INTO COURT REVEALS THAT THESE DUTIES ARE CUMBERSOME. REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) INCREASED SOURCE LIST COVERAGE IS NEEDED TO OBTAIN BETTER REPRESENTATION OF ETHNIC GROUPS AND YOUNG PERSONS; (2) SERVICE TERMS SHOULD BE REDUCED TO 10 DAYS; (3) OCCUPATIONAL EXEMPTIONS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED; (4) COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO HANDLE MANY OF THE CLERICAL FUNCTIONS; AND (5) JURY ACCOMMODATIONS SHOULD BE UPGRADED AND JUROR POSTPONEMENTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED. A REVIEW OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION CONCERNING JURY SYSTEMS IS PROVIDED AS WELL AS COPIES OF JURY-SELECTION FORMS, AN OUTLINE OF THE JURY SYSTEM PLAN, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES. (DAG)