Legal communication: An investigation of juror comprehension of pattern instructions
- 1 September 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Communication Quarterly
- Vol. 26 (4) , 31-35
- https://doi.org/10.1080/01463377809369311
Abstract
This investigation assessed juror comprehension of oral instructions used in criminal cases. One hundred and sixteen members of actual venires served as subjects in the experiment. The data indicated that those who received the instructions scored significantly higher on a 40‐item comprehension test than did the control group. However, the treatment group correctly identified only 72% of the test questions. Item analyses indicated that those areas of the instructions which are most difficult to understand include definition of the crime; the terms information, reasonable doubt, and material allegation; and application of the concepts of reasonable doubt and witness credibility.Keywords
This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:
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- The defendant's dilemma: Effects of jurors' attitudes and authoritarianism on judicial decisions.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1973