Using Qualitative Analysis to Add Depth to Scaled Responses in Surveys of Jurors’ Trust in Legal Authorities in Criminal Cases

Location

DeSantis Room 1047

Format Type

Plenary

Format Type

Paper

Start Date

15-1-2020 9:45 AM

End Date

15-1-2020 10:05 AM

Abstract

This research looks at jurors’ trust in legal authorities at the beginning of their jury service, comparing jurors’ scaled responses and qualitative explanations of these responses. Most research on individuals’ levels of trust in legal authorities relies on scaled measurements, but little research has examined whether these scales are accurate or questions which concepts these scales measure. For example, in one frequently used scale, respondents are asked to rate how much trust they have in police or courts, typically on a scale of 1 (no trust) to 7 (a great deal of trust), without asking respondents to explain their answers or exploring whether trust has varied meaning for different people. This research asks individuals at the beginning of jury service to rate their levels of trust in their local police officers and their local courts as well as to explain their reasons behind these ratings. Respondents are 540 jurors in one courthouse in the Southeastern United States whose data include both scaled and qualitative responses on key variables. The analysis focuses on patterns between scaled answers and qualitative explanations concerning jurors’ trust in police and trust in courts, with particular attention to how members of different racial groups conceptualize trust of legal authorities in criminal cases.

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Jan 15th, 9:45 AM Jan 15th, 10:05 AM

Using Qualitative Analysis to Add Depth to Scaled Responses in Surveys of Jurors’ Trust in Legal Authorities in Criminal Cases

DeSantis Room 1047

This research looks at jurors’ trust in legal authorities at the beginning of their jury service, comparing jurors’ scaled responses and qualitative explanations of these responses. Most research on individuals’ levels of trust in legal authorities relies on scaled measurements, but little research has examined whether these scales are accurate or questions which concepts these scales measure. For example, in one frequently used scale, respondents are asked to rate how much trust they have in police or courts, typically on a scale of 1 (no trust) to 7 (a great deal of trust), without asking respondents to explain their answers or exploring whether trust has varied meaning for different people. This research asks individuals at the beginning of jury service to rate their levels of trust in their local police officers and their local courts as well as to explain their reasons behind these ratings. Respondents are 540 jurors in one courthouse in the Southeastern United States whose data include both scaled and qualitative responses on key variables. The analysis focuses on patterns between scaled answers and qualitative explanations concerning jurors’ trust in police and trust in courts, with particular attention to how members of different racial groups conceptualize trust of legal authorities in criminal cases.