This petition was submitted during the 2010–2015 Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition government

Rejected petition Youths to be allowed to elect jury trials when charged with either way offences

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A jury trial consists of 11 randomly selected people who assess the evidence and credibility of a witness, something which is available to ALL adults who are charged with an either way offence.

Youths however do not have that option. Instead their innocence or guilt is decided by either 1 District Judge or 3 Magistrates many of whom are de-sensitised to the every day offences brought to court. This is inherently unsatisfactory, especially in cases of a sexual nature.

The jury system is at the heart of our criminal justice system. Jurors bring independent thought and real life experiences to a court room. It is only through this diversity of thought and opinion that a fair verdict may be delivered.

This petition was rejected

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