Find information about

Section 4 Techniques and Tools

Citizens’ Juries - Blackburn Citizens’ Jury

In Spring 2004 the Joseph Rowntree sponsored Blackburn Citizens’ Jury was launched. Invitations were sent to 5000 local people from a number of selected wards to join the jury. 180 people responded. An oversight panel of local organisations was formed to check the rigour of the process.

The Oversight Panel selected twenty jurors’ names. Quotas of groups that might otherwise be under represented were chosen:

• Approximately equal numbers of men and women

• Eight people from minority ethnic communities

• Four or five people from each of the five age categories

• At least one disabled person

• Two people not necessarily registered to vote

The jurors attended a day workshop at which they debated which single issue was the most important affecting the quality of life in Blackburn. They chose 'the role of police in tackling under age abuse of drugs and drink'. The 20 jurors then met over a period of 4 weeks to question and listen to a number of 'expert witnesses' selected by the oversight panel to present different viewpoints on the issue. At the end of this period jurors produced a list of recommendations which were launched a couple of days before the local elections.

The jurors continued to meet after the formal process had ended to ensure the implementation of the recommendations.

For more information see Juryworld’s report.

Previous page Next page