An opportunity to learn more about how jurors come up with their decisions in sexual offences trials will be the subject of a Public Lecture hosted by the School of Law at Lancaster University next month.

Last year a team of researchers from the School of Law invited members of the local community to become mock jurors in criminal trial recreations of sexual offences cases involving male victims, which took place in the mock court room on the university’s campus.

Now researchers are keen to share their findings and insights with those who volunteered to be involved in the research, as well as interested members of the public. The free public lecture will take place on 20 April in the Margaret Fell Lecture Theatre on campus from 6pm.

As part of the research, eight mock trials were held, with evidence being presented by real prosecution and defence barristers. Actors took on the roles of the male complainant and the defendant and a real judge presided over the case.

‘Juror’ participants were then asked to deliberate in panels of 12 jurors, deciding, as a group, whether they found the defendant guilty or not guilty. Jury deliberations were audio-recorded and analysed by the researchers. Participants were also asked to complete short, anonymous questionnaires at various points throughout the mock trial.

Dr Siobhan Weare, from The School of Law, who is leading the project, funded by UKRI Economic and Social Research Council, explained the reasoning behind the project and the ‘real life’ impact that the team are hoping the project will have.

“As it currently stands, it is against the law for jurors to discuss what happened in the jury deliberation room,” said Dr Weare.

“Therefore, it is often difficult to understand why jurors make the decisions that they do when we only get to hear their final verdict in a case.

“By conducting this research, we hope to develop a greater understanding of the decisions that people make when they are acting as jurors in sexual offences cases, particularly where there is a male complainant.

“This is important given the impact that such cases, and their outcomes, have on both complainants and defendants.”

To book your free place at the Public Lecture please go to the Lancaster University Law School Eventbrite page. (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-do-juries-decide-new-research-at-lancaster-university-tickets-1982678788629) If you have any questions, please get in touch with Dr Maddy Millar, the Research Associate on the project at m.millar1@lancaster.ac.uk

Please note that this lecture will include discussions of sexual violence.