... democracy". Despite its historical role and the sentimental attachments, the jury system has come under increasing attack in recent years. It is a political issue about which there is much excited, and lamentably cliched debate. The jewel of the British legal system is supposed to be the jury - twelve fair-minded people standing between the might of government and an accused individual. Their power of a verdict according to conscience is enshrined as a bulwark against oppressive measures of the state. Lord Devlin may be deemed to be somewhat misty-eyed in his confidence in the "twelve good men". Since the 1970s, faith in the jury system has gradually dissolved. Successive governments have sought to restrict the use of jury trials, so it can be seen to constitute approximately 1% of criminal and civil cases. Trust in the system is progressively fading and there are many factors, which suggest that the corner ...

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