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Almost all cases generate a certain degree of stress for the
jurors involved in the case, with causes of this stress ranging from
missed days of work to disagreement in the jury room.
However, certain cases create higher levels of stress for jurors,
such as those involving more egregious crimes.
For trials in which jurors are likely to experience severe
emotional distress, some courts employ a professional psychologist or
social worker to “debrief” the jurors following the verdict.
This technique is particularly appropriate for trials in which
the evidence or testimony is especially gruesome, the trial provokes a
great deal of media attention, or the trial is exceptionally lengthy or
requires extraordinary measures (e.g., sequestration) to help jurors
handle post-verdict stress. For
trial that cause less severe stress, on the other hand, some courts
utilized trained judges or court staff to conduct jury debriefings.
This module seeks to understand potential causes of juror
stress and the ways in which courts can address this issue.
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