Justice and Home Affairs Committee inquiry into support for jurors in England and Wales

In September 2026, JUSTICE submitted evidence to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee inquiry into support for jurors in England and Wales.

Since the Government introduced reforms to restrict the right to jury trial in England and Wales, JUSTICE has consistently highlighted that juries play a vital role as a cornerstone of our democracy.

The evidence suggests that jurors value jury service and there is resistance to proposals to restrict their use in criminal trials. However, supporting jurors is also essential to sustaining trial by jury.

Jury service often requires people to reorganise employment, income, caring responsibilities and daily life at short notice. They are also often required to confront distressing evidence and make decisions with profound consequences for defendants, victims, witnesses and families.

Therefore, reasonable steps should be taken to anticipate and mitigate foreseeable harm, minimise avoidable disruption and provide effective support to jurors when necessary.

At present, evidence suggests jurors in England and Wales may be insufficiently prepared for the emotional demands of jury service.

To properly support jurors pre-trial, JUSTICE recommends providing a ‘national juror-preparation package’ covering psychological, legal and administrative information. Post-trial, we recommend clear, nationally consistent guidance for jurors and healthcare professionals, developed with former jurors, HMCTS, relevant professional bodies and mental-health specialists.

JUSTICE also recommends that the Ministry of Justice ‘Enhanced Support for Jurors’ pilot - which combined a 24/7 Juror Assistance Programme (JAP) counselling helpline with an ‘End of Trial Intervention’ (ETI) debrief delivered by court staff - is rolled out nationally.

‍Read the submission in full here.