Citizens' juries
Jefferson Centre
Composed of small groups of citizens assembled to hear evidence on an issue and deliberate on policy options: Despite the judicial sounding name such juries more closely resemble parliamentary select committees, though members are chosen at random. While hearing and weighing evidence and arguments is an important part of their function, their most distinctive characteristic is their highly deliberative manner. Usually composed of about 18 citizens, they meet 4-5 days. Jurors are paid a stipend for their time. On the final day of their moderated hearings, the jury presents its recommendations to the public. (Jefferson Centre website)
Examples
Citizen Jury on Global Climate Change, 2002
The Far North Queensland Citizens’ Jury, Land & Water Australia, 2000
Readings
Smith, Graham , and Corinne Wales, "Citizens’ juries and deliberative democracy", Political Studies,48(1) March 2000, 51-65
Ladeur, Karl-Heinz, "The introduction of the Precautionary Principle into EU law: A pyrrhic victory for environmental and public health law? Decision-making under conditions of complexity in multi-level political systems," Common Market Law Review, 40 2003, 1455-1479
Kenyon, Wendy, et al. "Citizens’ juries: An aid to environmental valuation?", Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy,19(4) August 2001, 557-66
Public Administration Review, Special section "Whither environmental security in the post-September 11th era? Assessing the legal, organizational, and policy challenges for the national security state," 62 September 2002, 115-123
Appearing in the 9/11 special issue of Public Administration Review, the author examines the tension between the needs of the national security state and the imperatives of environmental protection. He looks specifically at the implications of the war on terrorism for environmental security efforts. Durant reviews how and why the 1990s bequeathed a set of misaligned administrative systems in the U.S. that make existing and future progress in balancing national security and environmental security extremely vulnerable to shifts in the U.S. political economy following September 11th.
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