InBrief

The overwhelming majority of jurors have little or no problem understanding judicial instructions on the law or the judge’s summing-up of evidence at the end of the trial, but would benefit from clearer instructions on the meaning of 'beyond reasonable doubt'. This is the key finding of a survey released today by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Of the 1,200 jurors in criminal trials who took part in the survey, 22.9 per cent believed that the phrase means ‘almost sure’ the person is guilty; 11.6 per cent believed that it means ‘very likely’ the person is guilty; and 10.1 per cent believed it means ‘pretty likely’ the person is guilty. Learn more>

29 October 2008