As a long-time student of the jury system, I found Paula Hannaford-Agor's comments about the importance of jury service to be excellent. I am very impressed by the research that she mentioned about how jury service can under some circumstances increase the citizen's civic participation. We don't have all that many ways to engage in important political activity with other citizens even in our own communities who are different from us in background, education, ethnicity, and attitudes. Perhaps that is why jurors I have interviewed as part of my research have often remarked on what a deeply satisfying and meaningful experience it is, despite having some initial misgivings or worries.
As a long-time student of the jury system, I found Paula Hannaford-Agor's comments about the importance of jury service to be excellent. I am very impressed by the research that she mentioned about how jury service can under some circumstances increase the citizen's civic participation. We don't have all that many ways to engage in important political activity with other citizens even in our own communities who are different from us in background, education, ethnicity, and attitudes. Perhaps that is why jurors I have interviewed as part of my research have often remarked on what a deeply satisfying and meaningful experience it is, despite having some initial misgivings or worries.