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If You Can Only Read One Jury Blog

By: ANNE REED//September 15, 2008//

If You Can Only Read One Jury Blog

By: ANNE REED//September 15, 2008//

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It might not be this one, now that Professor Sam Sommers has a blog.

Sam Sommers teaches social psychology at Tufts. His research and writing deals with “race and social perception, judgment and decision-making, diversity and group processes, and psychological perspectives on the U.S. legal system,” his blog’s “About” page says. It’s not exaggeration to say that his work on juries and race is mandatory for anyone interested in the topic. You could start with posts here, noting his work on Batson in practice, or on how diversity in a jury makes the whole group better at all aspects of deliberation, including honest discussions on issues of race.

At the end of June, Prof. Sommers started a blog for Psychology Today, called The Science Of Small Talk. Look at his post last week, starting with data on the racial composition of juries in Jefferson County, Louisiana, and ending with a blunt criticism of peremptory strikes as they’re often used. Once you’ve read that, subscribe.

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