Doctoral Dissertation Research: Examining the Effects of the Inclusion of Non-English Speaking Jurors on Jury Verdicts and Juror Experiences

博士论文研究：检验非英语陪审员的加入对陪审团裁决和陪审员体验的影响

• 批准号: 1061685
• 负责人: Markus Kemmelmeier
• 金额: $ 1.37万
• 依托单位: Board of Regents, NSHE, obo University of Nevada, Reno
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-02-01 至 2013-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1061685&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Examining; Effects

Latinos are now the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S. However, with regard to their inclusion in the American legal system, the fact that a nontrivial part of the Latino population does not speak English well poses a challenge for mainstream society. Currently, New Mexico is the only state that allows non-English speaking (NES) citizens to serve on juries, with the help of a certified interpreter offering simultaneous translation. This doctoral dissertation research will be the first studies to examine: (1) whether the inclusion of NES jurors has an influence on verdicts, (2) whether the inclusion of NES jurors leads to different jury experiences, and (3) the nature of public opinion toward and acceptance of this practice. Focusing on a single county in New Mexico, Study 1 utilizes archival methods to examine whether juries in criminal cases that included NES jurors render different verdicts than comparable juries without NES jurors. By testing competing predictions from social identity theory and aversive racism theory, this study will contribute to research on juror ethnic biases by demonstrating how an NES juror might reduce or increase bias toward Latino defendants. In Study 2, former jurors will be asked to complete a survey assessing their jury experiences, opinions about the inclusion of NES jurors, and various ideologies and beliefs, such as support for English-only policies. Competing views regarding the benefits and drawbacks of working in diverse groups suggest that having NES jurors on a jury may either lead to more positive or negative jury experiences for jurors. The inclusion of NES jurors in American juries is an important issue in light of demographic shifts in the U.S. This research will produce the first data on both the NES jury experience and public attitudes towards the practice, and may have implications for attorneys, judges, and court administrators in jurisdictions with high Latino populations.

但是，拉丁美洲人现在是美国最大的少数民族群体，但是，就其包含在美国法律体系中，拉丁裔人口的非平凡部分不会说英语，这对主流社会构成了挑战。目前，新墨西哥州是唯一一个允许非英语公民（NES）公民在陪审团中服役的州，并在提供同时翻译的认证口译员的帮助下。这项博士学位论文研究将是首次检查的研究：（1）NES陪审员的包容是否对判决有影响，（2）包括NES陪审员是否会导致不同的陪审团经历，以及（3）公众对这种做法的舆论性质。 研究1专注于新墨西哥州的一个县，研究1利用档案方法来检查包括NES陪审员在内的刑事案件中的陪审团是否比没有NES陪审员的可比陪审团作出不同的判决。通过测试社会认同理论和厌恶种族主义理论的竞争预测，该研究将通过证明NES陪审员如何减少或增加对拉丁裔被告的偏见来有助于研究陪审员族裔偏见。在研究2中，将要求前陪审员完成一项调查，以评估他们的陪审团经历，对NES陪审员的看法以及各种意识形态和信念，例如对仅英语政策的支持。关于在不同群体中工作的利益和缺点的竞争观点表明，陪审团的NES陪审员可能会给陪审员带来更多的正面或负面陪审团的经历。 鉴于美国的人口转变，这项研究将在美国陪审团中加入NES陪审员是一个重要的问题，这项研究将对NES陪审团的经验和公众对这种做法的态度产生第一批数据，并且可能对律师，法官和法院管理人员具有较高拉开裔人口的律师，法官和法院行政人员的影响。