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Courtroom Psychology and Jury Selection

NCJ Number
104974
Author(s)
B L Vaughan
Date Published
1986
Length
196 pages
Annotation
This manual instructs defense attorneys in how to assess the personalities of prospective jurors based on their physical characteristics.
Abstract
Other guidance for defense preparation focuses on the psychology of trial preparation (case analysis, attorney and client analysis, and clothing selection), the psychology of dressing for the courtroom, interpreting communications, and the case history application. Some factors pertaining to jury selection include the personnel to use in jury selection, the pretrial profiling of the ideal juror, the development of voir dire questions, the prevention of jury alienation, and opening statement. Left and right brain functions are described, and the manual explains how facial features reveal which side of the brain is dominant in each person. Personology is defined as the science of correlating brain function with bodily structure. This science is applied in assessing the personalities of prospective jurors by studying the placement and form of the hair, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and body as a whole. A 'quick reference' section pairs various physical characteristics with personality features. 14 references.

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