Week 7 Post 2 - The Trial Part 2

A jury is vital in the decision of a case. However, due to jurors being normal people, their ability to make decisions about others criminal cases (especially complex ones) is sometimes questioned. Many studies have been conducted in regards to whether citizens have the ability to comprehend the instructions given by the judge and then proceed to follow through with them. In 1992 Charrow developed a test or evaluation where jurors were asked to paraphrase what the judicial instructions mean, and what their duty is. The idea is this would give an insight as to how much is  understood by the jury. The report showed only 41% were able to comprehend the instructions and write them in their own words.
This information is important to the psychology of criminal justice because every aspect needs to be taken into account in studying the system and its flaws. Recognizing not all humans think alike and all have different background experiences is important as well.