Jury service - finding it hard to deal with afterwards

[WeAreTheHeroes]

I'll start by saying don't want to put anyone off jury service and I feel confident in the decisions we came to. The thing is, it was a really disturbing case and I can't stop thinking about it. During the course of the trial many of the jurors said how it was keeping them awake and giving them stress headaches. Now it's over I'm not sure whether I just need time to process everything or something else. We know when sentencing will be and the judge said some jurors find it helpful to attend - has anyone actually done that?

I didn't go to sentencing. Can't quite see why that would help tbh.

A bit out there, but what about seeing if Victim Support could help? In a way you're suffering from the crime too.

so the person was found guilty, you should feel like you have done the job well.

Yeah - I mean the issue with attending sentencing would be seeing the guilty party's relatives and the defendant themself, all of whom spent the best part of a fortnight eyeballing us across the courtroom!

There is a Samaritans thing specifically for jurors, but that's just to talk to, I don't think they advise you on coping strategies. Victim Support doesn't seem right somehow when I compare my life to the complainant's.

@tootiredtobother

so the person was found guilty, you should feel like you have done the job well.

It really doesn't feel like something to celebrate - that's probably not the right word - given the circumstances. I'm pleased the complainant has got/is getting justice.

I totally understand OP. I did jury service on a child abuse case in 1992 and it still haunts me. I remember my whole body shaking such that I was scared I would fall off the bench on several occasions while I was listening to the evidence. I have never forgotten the details of it.

I don't know what help there might be, sorry. Just to say I understand how you feel.

@Briset - similar sounding case. I nearly cried in court after the verdicts were delivered. It was a relief to have the case over. I think this is the kind of thing that can and does stay with you. Think it will help now I can talk to people about it, so far it's been my partner and my mum.

The trial I was on ended with the sentencing straight away after the verdict. Maybe it was because they got a mandatory life sentence for murder. I think things are different now.

It all kicked off in the public gallery and the jurors had to exit by a back entrance. I was glad that I had moved during the course of the trial as it had taken place just round the corner from our house and I had often been on the long journey into Central London on the same bus as the defendants friends and family.

They do tell you to tell court staff about things like that. It was bad enough to see witnesses when we went out at lunch time before we were deliberating. I can hear the defendant's partner crying too.

I understand too, I did it about 15 years ago and it got under my skin (it was a murder but there are many cases much worse), I would say it took a year before I didn't think about it every day. It's hard too that you don't see the other jurors any more, spend all that time together then all go your separate ways when you'd still like to talk it over some more (there were quite a few unanswered questions from our case). Talking it over with friends and family isn't the same and of course you have to be careful what you say. I don't really have any suggestions apart from that it gets easier with time.

I'm a paramedic so have seen my shares of traumatic and violent situations. The best advice I've ever been given is to realise that it is normal to react strongly and be distressed and upset by these tragic, unpleasant and unusual situations, it is also a positive sign of you as a compassionate and empathetic person. It would be stranger and more worrying if it didn't bother you.

It is quite normal in traumatic incidents to dwell on it a huge amount initially and have nightmares as you process it. This can carry on for a good month to six weeks and still be well within the realms of 'normal'. If after this time you are still struggling then is the time to be concerned, but until then try to ride it out, talk about it to people capable of listening to it and handling it (any friends in the 999 services or a&e staff are good for this), and see how you go. In all likelihood you will start to feel better and it won't be playing on your mind very much in a months time, just the occasional thing will bring it back to the forefront now and then, but that's life.

I used to work for a Christian organisation which had historic child abuse cases. Reading some of the complaints that would come through were horrific but there was one in particular that made me cry and stuck with me for days. I still think about it from time to time but as time passed I was able to move on from it and not be so traumatised by it. Hopefully time will be a healer and allow you to move on too.

I would use the Samaritans for Juries line. They must be experienced in dealing with the situation. No one can really give you a ready made set of coping strategies but if you feel no better in a few week a private counsellor could help. It’s annoying to think you would have to pay someone to help sort this out, though!

Not quite the same but I used to work for Children's social services, dealing with referrals from the emergency services, relatives, schools and hospitals. I read and discussed dreadful, awful things about children whilst I was at work, then went home to my flatmates and knew I couldn't talk to them about it.

Having someone to talk to really helps. It's perfectly normal to find the aftermath of this very tough, you wouldn't be humane or compassionate if you didn't. It should gradually lessen but you won't forget. Please do find someone to talk to. Jury service is particularly difficult as you can't tell people the details but you can talk with a professional and they'll help you process your emotions.

Thanks everyone. Just been to the gym, which took my mind off things. I'm going into the office tomorrow so won't be on my own. I've ducked out of something tonight as I just don't feel I have the headspace for it.

I am sorry this has affected you like that. My two jury sittings where for really boring things. Fraud in the first (The same guy had to go from court to court!) and the second involved carpets and Bills of lading which was zzzzzz. It felt like we were herded like sheep all day long, go here, sit there etc etc. I hope you can talk to someone about this.

I did jury service about 4 years ago and sat through a horrible case of child sex abuse which I have not forgotten. I was surprised that there was no support offered to people who had had to listen to some very traumatic details, especially as we obviously weren't able to discuss it with anyone at all. I didn't know about the Samaritan service. There was some sense of having been part of bringing someone to justice as the defendant was found guilty and sentenced the same day so we were able to see that too for a bit of closure. I pass the Court building most days on the way to work, and still sometimes think of the people involved in the case, but time made this less intense. I also do a job where I sometimes see and hear some very sad situations that I can't talk about in any detail, but at least at work we are able to discuss these things as a team and there are people you can go to if you aren't coping with it.

I feel a bit better about it today having been able to talk to a couple of people. Tomorrow I'll be retracing my juror steps into town - same train at same time, etc - but having my hair done instead.

Any chance you work for a company that has an employee assistance program? If so, they may be able to get you access to someone to talk to.

Just to update, I'm feeling a lot better about things now I've been back at work a full week. I think part of the problem for me was the bubble of being in the jury room and having to go over all the details repeatedly - you can almost get too focused. It's a lot harder than sitting in a room for x hours just chatting.

Hey, came across this post when i was looking for something, I have done jury service 3 times now.
I think when they talk about attending sentencing, it's more for closure, and to offer some peace that justice has been served and you know the person has/will be punished for their crime/s.