Overview
- A paper by James Cook and Macquarie researchers reports that exposure to crime‑scene images, emergency calls and child‑abuse testimony can inflict genuine psychological harm on jurors.
- Lead author Rebecca Ward urges mandatory briefings, in‑trial check‑ins, post‑trial debriefings, counselling access and protected therapeutic disclosure as standard practice.
- NSW and Victorian courts say supports already exist, including pre‑empanelment exemptions, post‑trial counselling, in‑trial assistance in some NSW cases and a six‑session psychologist program in Victoria.
- The researchers argue current measures are reactive, inconsistent and insufficient for untrained citizens tasked with viewing harrowing evidence.
- Related research cited shows jurors exposed to distressing content can face elevated trauma symptoms, and legal limits on sharing deliberations may hinder recovery.