Ministry of Justice

Public opinion and the jury: an international literature review

Date: 10 February 2009

Jury in court

A report bringing together findings from a number of surveys on public attitudes to juries, focusing on England and Wales but also drawing on international research.


Despite substantial literature on the legal institution of the jury, and on the experiences of jurors, less is known about public attitudes to juries. This report sought to help address this knowledge gap, drawing together findings from the small number of surveys that have asked questions on this subject. The report indicates high levels of confidence in the jury among the general public