AIBU to think that jurors should receive a debrief?

[Pixa]

I recently became aware that jurors do not receive a debrief when coming to the end of their duties.

AIBU to think that some jurors may not have the emotional resilience needed to deal with the cases they have been involved in. Surely there should be some kind of debrief process for those that need it?

I agree, I was on a jury when I was only 19. It was a particularly nasty rape case. To cut a long story short, we found the defendant not guilty, we were dismissed and as I was waiting for the bus home the defendant got on after me, recognised me and came over, he whispered 'thanks' in my ear, smiled and sat down. I panicked for months afterwards thinking he would find out where I lived and tracked me down.

I was on a murder case aged about 19/20. When the judge dismissed us, he said he was exempting us for 15 years. That exemption is long over but I've never been called again.

On occasion, and at the direction of the judge, jurors have been offered counselling after the conclusion of a particularly upsetting case. So it is out there for the more horrific cases

Also, I wonder if a prospective juror's emotional health is such that it may be damaged by the case, I wonder if that would be a ground for being excused?

Yanbu.

The court service could also always do with finding out more about the jury's point of view so it would work both ways.