NAPD’s DEIJ Coordinator Attends Meeting on Preserving the Future of Juries and Jury Trial

NAPD’s DEIJ Coordinator, Brittany Gail Thomas (BGT), Esq., participated in a 2-day meeting, Preserving the Future of Juries and Jury Trial hosted by the National Center for State Courts and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Washington, DC on Feb. 22-23, 2024.  This project convened justice system stakeholders with interest and knowledge about juries and jury trials to (1) consider how technological, social, demographic, and political trends are likely to affect the volume and role of juries and jury trials in the American justice system; (2) identify key vulnerabilities of juries and jury trials in the future; and (3) develop recommendations for building resilience to address those vulnerabilities.  The project will employ methods of strategic foresight and the framework developed for the National Center for State Courts’ Just Horizons: Building Future-Ready Courts.

BGT states, “It was a pleasure to represent NAPD and take a seat at the table to discuss the importance of jury service and the juror experience.  It was also necessary to have a DEI- and racial-justice-centered voice in the room to highlight the experiences of the marginalized and minoritized.  It is my hope that these important topics are utilized in the upcoming recommendations.”

Up Next! BGT will participate in a 90-minute remote meeting in late spring 2024 to review the report describing the findings and recommendations from the in-person meeting and discuss dissemination strategies.