Jury service and ex-psychiatric patients

Extract

The Matthew Trust has argued that ex-offenders and ex-patients of the special hospitals should not be allowed to do jury service until they have had at least ten years without offending or have been out of an institution for at least ten years. Mr Peter Thompson, Director of the Matthew Trust, argues that this period is necessary, in order to overcome the effects of institutionalisation and adjust to life in the community. The ex-offender or patient is held to be under such psychological pressure during this ten years, largely as a result of society's prejudices, that he would be unable to perform objectively on a jury.