Cross-border diversity: trial by jury in England and Scotland

In both Scotland and England, jurors aged between 18 and 65 are randomly selected from the electoral roll. A residency criterion requires the prospective juror to have lived in the UK for at least 5 years beyond the age of 13. Individuals who have previously been sentenced to 5 or more years' imprisonment and those suffering serious mental disorders are immediately disqualified. Persons closely involved in the administration of justice (such as judges, police, and prison officers) are ineligible while a further category of individuals in particular public service occupations (such as doctors, chemists, members of the clergy, and armed forces) currently hold the right to refuse to serve on a jury. Again, however, recent recommendations striving to improve the representativeness of the jury may lead to the revocation of this right (Lord Justice Auld, 2001).