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Florida Atlantic University Undergraduate Law Journal

College

College of Social Work and Criminal Justice

Keywords

Prosecutor, Attorneys, Courtroom, Jury selection, Voir Dire, Jury composition, Jury pools, Racial discrimination, Racial bias, Implicit bias, Peremptory challenges, Unconstitutional practices, Case studies, Legal documentation, Jury decisions, Community representation, Decision-making process, Historical cases, Modern-day cases, Favorable outcomes

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The role that a prosecutor and attorneys have in the courtroom is vital in shaping the composition of a jury in any court case. Prosecutors and attorneys employ strategies during the Voir Dire process to maximize their chances of securing favorable outcomes. Upon examining how juries are selected, jury pools can be studied from historical and modernday cases that show trends of racial discrimination. The methods and decision-making process to select a jury can involve racial biases that ultimately affect the outcome of the court decision. Through case studies and legal documentation, this article will explore how implicit racial bias affects jury selection and jury decisions. The use of excessive and racially motivated peremptory challenges is unconstitutional, defeating the purpose of accurately representing a community that a jury serves to represent.

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