The enhanced support was welcomed by Dr Hannah Fawcett, a senior lecturer in forensic psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Dr Fawcett described it as “a positive first step in recognising some of the potential psychological challenges of participating in jury duty and supporting those who have been affected by distressing cases”.
Justice minister Mike Freer said: “Juries are the cornerstone of the criminal justice system, and sitting on a trial is rightly regarded as the ultimate responsibility of an honest, law-abiding citizen.
“This pilot is an important step in assessing how we can best support jurors, who perform such a vital civic duty, often in complex, high-profile cases.”
The pilot, funded by the Ministry of Justice, will run for 10 months in crown courts across Leeds, Teesside, Liverpool, Carlisle, Mold, Oxford, Luton, Winchester, Bristol, Gloucester, Nottingham and Birmingham, as well as the Old Bailey, Snaresbrook and Kingston Upon Thames crown courts in London.
