The legal system in the United States is one of the country’s most contentious elements. The system promises justice to all citizens through a “jury of peers,” but time and again the reality has been known to actually diverge drastically from this ideal. Behind courtroom doors, a powerful factor often shapes the fate of the accused: jury selection.
This process has been deeply embedded in American tradition and law for centuries, but experts have brought to attention how it also carries the weight of bias. This bias influences who sits in judgment of the accused and how verdicts are reached.
Click through this gallery to see why there truly is a systemic issue in how juries are selected.