While jury decision making has received considerable attention from
social scientists, there have been few efforts to systematically pull
together all the pieces of this research. In Jury Decision Making,
Dennis J. Devine examines over 50 years of research on juries and offers
a big picture overview of the field.
The volume summarizes existing theories of jury decision making and
identifies what we have learned about jury behavior, including the
effects of specific courtroom practices, the nature of the trial, the
characteristics of the participants, and the evidence itself. Making use
of those foundations, Devine offers a new integrated theory of jury
decision making that addresses both individual jurors and juries as a
whole and discusses its ramifications for the courts.
Providing a unique combination of broad scope, extensive coverage of the
empirical research conducted over the last half century, and theory
advancement, this accessible and engaging volume offers one-stop
shopping for scholars, students, legal professionals, and those who
simply wish to better understand how well the jury system works.