Evaluation of the Enhanced Support for Jurors Pilot
Evaluation of a pilot providing emotional support to jurors across 15 Crown Courts between October 2024 and March 2025.
Applies to England and Wales
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The Ministry of Justice commissioned HMCTS to conduct a process evaluation of the Enhanced Support for Jurors pilot, which ran from October 2024 to March 2025 across 15 Crown Courts in England and Wales.
The pilot introduced two interventions: the End of Trial Intervention (ETI), a structured debriefing session delivered by court staff at the conclusion of a trial; and the Juror Assistance Programme (JAP), a 24/7 counselling helpline providing jurors with access to tailored mental health support after completing their service.
The evaluation found that while overall uptake of the JAP was low — 24 jurors out of 17,811 (0.13%) accessed the service — those who engaged with counselling showed measurable improvements in mental health outcomes. Both interventions were well-received by court staff and jurors, and were delivered with minimal operational disruption.
Key barriers to engagement included stigma, the timing of support, group dynamics, and limited awareness of the JAP among jurors. The evaluation identifies a number of recommendations to strengthen the interventions, including earlier promotion of support, extended post-trial access, improved staff training, and expanded therapeutic options.