Introduction
The U.S. jury system plays a critical role in promoting justice. However, pressing challenges have undermined its ability to attain these goals. It has been criticized for promoting discrimination, biases, and prejudices that interfere with its capacity to foster justice (Murphy et al., 2006). Such issues are highly detrimental as they eradicate the public’s trust in the jury, which is meant to protect them with justice.
Criticisms of the Jury System
Critics of the jury system are addressing the pain points that need reform. The court system and processes are complex and require enhanced knowledge to comprehend the evidence and make informed decisions. However, the juries selected to represent the system lack the knowledge and expertise to improve their decision-making process (Murphy et al., 2006). Moreover, attaining a significant outcome in the court process requires continuous learning, which the court does not present to its juries to enhance their knowledge.
The jury has a critical role in ensuring that the legal system maintains the utmost justice and fair hearing for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender. However, there are multiple occasions where the system has fallen short of meeting this goal. Racial discrimination, gender bias, and other stereotypical practices are witnessed in jury decisions (Kovera, 2019).
Women and minority groups have not been represented equally in court proceedings (Kovera, 2019). This is also clear in the exclusive jury groups, which do not promote diversity and inclusivity. In addition, the jury has shown other weaknesses, including biases in the jury’s selection process, without enough transparency and accountability to build confidence in the public (Murphy et al., 2006). These problems have also led to consequential outcomes, such as delays in court hearings, a lack of trust in the systems, and the marginalization of other groups.
Identification of the Most Significant Problem
Among the identified critics in the U.S. jury system, racial and gender discrimination, and other prejudices are the most critical issues that require immediate attention. People need to build trust in the court system as the primary area where they can get justice and a fair hearing to solve their cases (Curley et al., 2022). Nevertheless, misrepresenting other groups, including black Americans and women, deters the court from sticking to its pre-determined goal of maintaining justice for all. Moreover, people have the right to get fair treatment and a fair chance to express their viewpoints to the court for evaluation to get facts that can tailor fair hearings (Murphy et al., 2006). However, unfair judgment and constant prejudices based on race, gender, or social status undermine these values.
The court fails to reach verdicts based on the presented facts, so they interfere with the victims’ fair trial rights. In addition, those inherent stereotypes deter victims from getting justice. These issues promote recurrent inequalities and social biases and instill a sense of stereotypes in social settings. Such problems also destroy public trust in the court system, especially among marginalized groups (Curley et al., 2022). The jury needs significant reforms to eliminate prejudices, biases, and stereotypes in court verdicts.
Proposed Reforms to Address Biased Decision-Making
Well-Defined Jury Instructions
The jury system comprises detailed instructions and guidelines that can be challenging to comprehend. These issues can be solved by enhancing the clarity and simplicity of the fundamental approaches that define the jury process (Curley et al., 2022). This will offer a clear framework that can assist juries in identifying potential biases and aligning their judgments with the evidence. Jury members must also receive enough training to comprehend all the aspects of the jurisdiction process.
Pre-Trial Juror Education
This recommendation aims to enhance awareness. Juries promote biases and prejudices because they lack the knowledge and capabilities to identify their deeply ingrained stereotypes. They cannot comprehend the core values of the legal system. Educating them on matters such as the need to uphold fair treatment for everyone will help them break the status quo and barriers that limit them from keeping a just mindset in their practices.
Improved Jury Selection Process
This recommendation will solve the issue of biases and lack of transparency in the jury selection process. It emphasizes the need to uphold the utmost openness and practical evaluation of the contenders during selection (Kovera, 2019). This will help to pick diverse and capable juries that can promote justice as required. It will also offer a fair chance for everyone to be represented in the jury.
Diversified Jury Composition
In addition to maintaining transparency and accountability in the jury selection process, the need for diverse and inclusive groups must be emphasized. This recommendation targets a selection of different groups, ensuring that various ethnicities and genders are represented to ensure every group is represented (Kovera, 2019). This will solve the issue of unfairness and misrepresentation, as seen in the current system. Representing every group within the pool will enhance a fair hearing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this analysis presents potential strategies that can address the critical shortcomings of the U.S. jury system. The current legal system has raised several issues, including misrepresenting minority groups such as black Americans and women. Emphasizing strategies that help effectively represent all jury groups will promote equity and fair treatment for all. Moreover, the jury must initiate learning programs to enhance their knowledge and overcome stereotypical beliefs.
References
Curley, L. J., Munro, J., & Dror, I. E. (2022). Cognitive and human factors in legal layperson decision making: Sources of bias in juror decision making. Medicine, Science, and the Law, 62(3), 206–215. Web.
Kovera, M. B. (2019). Racial disparities in the criminal justice system: Prevalence, causes, and a search for solutions. Journal of Social Issues, 75(4), 1139–1164. Web.
Murphy, W. F., Pritchett, C. H., Epstein, L., & Knight, J. (2006). Courts, judges, & politics: An introduction to the judicial process (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.