Last responses needed to ensure lawyers’ voices are heard in criminal reform

Lawyers are invited to complete a questionnaire which will investigate their attitudes to the three-verdict system, simple majority and 15-member jury.

The questionnaire should take approximately 30 to 40 minutes to complete.

OU researchers say that the expertise provided by lawyers should help to inform policy changes to the Scottish legal system proposed in the future.

Lead researcher Dr Lee J Curley told Scottish Legal News: “The aim of the study is to investigate how legal professionals in Scotland perceive specific aspects of the Scottish criminal jury system, with a specific emphasis on the not proven verdict, the 15-person jury system and the simple majority verdict system.

“The study asks a number of questions regarding perceptions of the current system, attitudes towards reform and potential recommendations regarding what reform should look like.

“My team at the Open University believe that the debate on said reform should be guided by attitudes from legal professionals and high-quality juror research.

“As the Scottish government and research from my own team have attempted to provide the latter, we now believe the next logical step is to turn to legal professionals in Scotland and ask them what their attitudes are regarding the Scottish criminal jury system.”

The questionnaire is open only to lawyers practising in Scotland, complete it here.