How to conduct a Citizens Jury

Citizen Jury

Citizen juries aim to draw members of the community into participative processes where the community is distanced from the decision-making process or a process is not seen as being democratic.

The citizen jury will deliver a considered report with recommendations for future actions or directions.

Method

1. Select a broadly representative group of approximately 8-12 people.
2. Determine a question important to the issue being considered or develop a series of options for the jury to consider.
3. Brief jurors on the rules of the proceedings, and allow them between two and four days to come to a recommendation.
4. Provide expert witnesses to brief the jury who can be cross-examined and who can spend time discussing the issue with the jury.
5. Engage independent moderator(s) to assist the process of deliberation.
6. At the agreed time, arrange a presentation from the panel and/or collect the jury's report, which should outline their recommendations.
7. Publish the report and recommendations (this would normally be done by the commissioning body).
8. If the recommendations of the citizen jury are not followed up, publish the reasons for not following up (this would normally be done by the commissioning body).

Strengths

• Can be used to draw members of the community into participative processes where the community is distanced from the decision-making process or a process is not seen as being democratic.
• Strives to improve representation in participative processes by engaging a cross section of the community in the jury.
• Can be used to moderate divergence and provide a transparent process for decision making.
• Provides a transparent participatory process which can be seen to be independent and credible.
• Provides a public democracy mechanism.
• Provides citizens with an opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the issue.
• Involves ordinary citizens.
• Pinpoints fatal flaws or gauges public reaction and opinion.

Weaknesses

• Jury members need to be representative of the community in consideration.
• Setting up involves selecting jurors and experts and planning the timing, as it takes up to four days to run the jury.
• Moderators may be required, and would need to be hired.
• Everyone involved needs to be clear about the results and how they will be used. Ahead of the event, time needs to be allowed to engage jury, hire facilitator, put together briefing or background papers and contact 'experts'.
• Allow up to four days for the jury to consider its 'verdict'.
• The commissioning body must follow recommendations or explain why.

For more information

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