NCSC Reports and Articles
Hannaford-Agor, Paula and Valerie Hans.
Nullification at Work? A Glimpse from the National Center for State Courts Hung Jury Study.
(September 2003).
This article discusses the extent to which jury nullification can be attributed to the case outcomes of 372 felony jury trials in 4 large, urban courts.
Hannaford, Paula.
"A Profile of a Hung Jury."
Caseload Highlights: Volume 9 Number 1 (May 2003).
A jury "hangs" or is "deadlocked," if jurors cannot agree upon a verdict: the result is mistrial. Hung juries threaten court and public interests. They challenge perceptions about the credibility and fairness of the legal process. Jury trials are expensive and require considerable time and resources from the judge, court staff, legal counsel, litigants, and witnesses.
Mott, Nicole.
"Jury Size."
(May 2003).
The debate is ongoing about the advantages and disadvantages of reducing jury size. The U.S. Supreme Court first addressed the issue of jury size thirty years ago.
Hans, Valerie, Paula Hannaford-Agor, Nicole Mott, and G. Thomas Munsterman.
"The Hung Jury: The American Jury`s Insights and Contemporary Understanding."
(January 2003).
Most juries hear evidence, deliberate together, and deliver a verdict. But on occasion, jurors cannot agree upon a verdict, resulting in a hung jury. Why do juries hang? What circumstances and conditions give rise to this apparent failure of the jury system?
Hannaford-Agor, Paula.
"Are Hung Juries a Problem?."
(September 2002).
This research effort was mounted to respond to growing concern within the criminal justice community over jury deadlock. Increased monetary costs associated with retrying cases as well as emotional costs for victims and witnesses and potential public safety costs were specifically cited as the consequences of hung juries.
G.Thomas Munsterman, Janice Munterman and Steven Penrod.
"A Comparison of the Performance of Eight and Twelve Person Juries ."
161 pages. Washington Project Office (April 1990).
California Senate Bill No. 1561 specified that the Judicial Council of California compare the performance of eight- and twelve-person juries in five jury performance areas.
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