We’ve all been there. We’re checking our mailbox, sifting through envelopes until our eyes land on big bold letters declaring: “JURY DUTY - IT’S YOUR TURN.”
A common response to a jury service summons is: “How can I get out of this?” But consider that this is a civic duty that some countries don’t even have, and remember that a jury can determine an individual’s fate.
Hey Philly spoke with Committee of Seventy president Lauren Cristella about Voices for Justice, an initiative in partnership with Ceiba and Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts to make trials fairer by making juries more equitable.
What are common misconceptions or barriers people have when it comes to jury duty?
“They might lose out time at work. They might get a hard time from their boss. They have to find childcare coverage. They think that they won't be paid for their time by the courts or they're going to be out of gas money. They won't even get their lunch paid for.
“They think that they might get called and have to serve for weeks, right? That this might not just be a day or two. That it might end up taking weeks or they'll be sequestered. They'll have to be radio silent and live in a hotel and not be able to talk to anyone or read the newspaper, like what you see in movies. Those are very rare and sometimes it's a grand jury experience, which is a totally different ballgame from your typical jury duty experience.”
How is your jury service initiative addressing these issues?
“We're working on an advocacy campaign to increase jury pay. So for federal court, it is $50 a day. That's not a lot, especially if you are traveling a great distance. For some of the state or city courts, it's like nine dollars for a day.
“Arizona just increased their pay to over $300 a day. Now, that'll get people's attention, right? You would answer that summons if you could make 300 bucks in a day. So we're really looking to see what people can do to really motivate them to participate in jury service.
“We are looking into legislation that would allow people with felony convictions, after they have served their sentence, to serve on juries. Right now, you lose that right for the rest of your life … We are also looking for credits that would allow people to [cover] the cost of childcare and some of their transportation costs … if you have elder care responsibilities, getting some of those costs provided for or reimbursed so that you can more easily serve on the jury.
“There's also a civic engagement and civic education component, too … we want to be in communities and in classrooms, starting from middle school through college, really explaining to people why this matters and why it's important.”
How can someone be a good juror, whether it’s their first time or 20th time?
“Your decision, the decision of the group of jurors, is going to certainly impact someone's life. And for more serious cases, it affects their ability to potentially get a job or vote. We know how the criminal justice system can impact people in all kinds of ways.
“It is so important to have a diverse jury pool and for people to bring their full experiences with them into the courtroom – their diversity of experiences and perspective, because that matters. And when you bring your full self with you into the courtroom, that matters and the deliberations that you'll have are more meaningful for that.
“The perspective you bring to the deliberations will serve the process all that much better, and will actually lead to a more just outcome. And if everyone does that in every case, I have to think that we'll have a more just system overall.”
🛜 Keep an eye out for updates on the Committee of Seventy’s website for upcoming events and ways to raise awareness.
