Confronting Racial Bias in Jury Selection

Representative juries are essential to reliable, fair, and accurate trials. As the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized, an "[e]qual opportunity to participate in the fair administration of justice is fundamental to our democratic system." Yet, in too many communities, Black people and people of color are significantly underrepresented in the jury pools from which jurors are selected or are removed from juries unfairly.   

Unrepresentative juries not only marginalize and exclude communities of color, but produce wrongful convictions and unfair sentences that disproportionately burden Black people and people of color. This presentation will discuss the importance of representative juries, examine our country's history of racial bias in jury selection and identify strategies for confronting racial bias and eliminating illegal racial discrimination in jury selection.

This presentation will benefit defense attorneys, prosecutors, litigators, government attorneys, judges, court personnel, advocates, and pro bono attorneys.

 

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine our country's history of discrimination in jury selection

2. Discuss the importance of representative juries

3. Analyze how juries are selected and the exclusion of Black people and people of color at every step of the process

4. Identify and explore recommendations for eliminating racial bias in jury selection