A JURY-CENTRIC APPROACH: A Method for Improving Criminal Laws, Practices, and Procedures to Ensure Fair Jury Trials

In a criminal trial, judges guide jurors so that they understand the law and their task. Courts assume that jurors understand the judge’s guidance. However, research reveals that this assumption is flawed, resulting in trials that are not fair. To address this problem, I propose that a law reform body use my five-step ‘jury-centric’ approach. It provides an evidence-informed method for making changes, within a fair trial framework, to help jurors understand their task. Further, because judges are not juror-comprehension experts, an interdisciplinary law reform body can bridge the gap between expertise in the law and juror comprehension research.