Preventing improper juror conduct and ensuring effective jury deliberations

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In recent years juror use of the internet during criminal trials has resulted in numerous mistrials, causing substantial financial costs to the criminal court system and personal distress and hardship to victims and witnesses who must give difficult evidence again at retrials, and posing the threat of possible miscarriages of justice. The 2010 study Are Juries Fair? was able to establish three key facts about juries for the first time in this country:1. A quarter of jurors on high profile cases had seen information about their case on the internet during trial2. Almost half of all jurors did not know or were uncertain what constituted improper jury conduct3. The majority of jurors what more information about how to conduct jury deliberations The initial findings of Are juries Fair? raise serious doubts about whether jurors do in fact understand what improper juror conduct is and how to conduct deliberations. Therefore this follow-on research to Are Juries Fair? is designed to answer two crucial questions about jurors and the jury system in this country:1. How can jurors be prevented from improperly using the internet during trials?2. How can jurors be provided with guidance that will ensure effective jury deliberations?This research has been identified by senior members of the Judiciary of England and Wales, Her Majesty's Court Service and other criminal justice stakeholders as the top priority area for further jury research following the 2010 report Are Juries Fair?. Using a multi-staged approach and working exclusively with real juries at Crown Courts, this research will provide answers to these crucial questions and will establish new tools to be used in jury trials to ensure proper conduct and effective deliberations. This research draws on the established jury research expertise of the UCL Jury Project team and has secured in advance the support and cooperation of key members of the criminal justice system in order to conduct this research.The objective of the research is to ensure that the findings of Are Juries Fair? are carried forward to create new tools which jurors clearly need and want in order to fulfill their unique and crucial role in the criminal justice system. This in turn will ensure that trial by jury can survive the digital age and will continue to play a crucial role in a 21st century criminal justice system.