Project details
Jury decision-making remains an important feature in the administration of justice around the world, particularly within rape and serious sexual offence (RASSO) trials. However, these trials are becoming increasingly rare with rates of prosecution on the decline and jury bias thought to be a major barrier to justice.
This project aims to advance our understanding of the true extent and role of jury bias within RASSO trials. The PhD will examine jury bias through mock trial simulations, analysing bias both quantitatively (e.g. pre and post-trial experimentation) and qualitatively (e.g. analysis of deliberative discussions). The innovative part of this PhD project will be developing and evaluating an effective intervention aiming to reduce juror bias, through combining quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis.
Applicants will have the opportunity to work closely with renowned sexual violence researchers in the School of Social Science and Humanities at Loughborough University. With an established reputation in applied criminal justice research, the successful applicant will be supervised by Dr Dominic Willmott (Quantitative Psychologist) and Dr Olivia Smith (Qualitative Criminologist).
Entry requirements
Our entry requirements are listed using standard UK undergraduate degree classifications i.e. first-class honours, upper second-class honours and lower second-class honours. To learn the equivalent for your country, please choose it from the drop-down below.
Entry requirements for United Kingdom
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, a 2.1 or 1st-class bachelor’s degree and/or a master’s degree in a relevant social science subject (e.g. Psychology, Criminology, Applied Criminal Justice, Empirical Legal Studies, Social Research Methods).
English language requirements
Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. University fees and charges can be paid in advance and there are several methods of payment, including online payments and payment by instalment. Fees are reviewed annually and are likely to increase to take into account inflationary pressures.
How to apply
All applications should be made online. Under the programme name, select Social Sciences. Please quote the advertised reference number: SSH-DWER-2024 in your application.
To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents.
The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application.
