Law Commons^™

Hidden Racial Bias: Why We Need To Talk With Jurors About Ferguson, Patrick C. Brayer

Faculty Works

Issues of race frame our national identity and define our capacity to achieve true equality for all individuals. By its very nature and traditions, the law is a profession tasked with confronting inequality and discrimination in our society. As issues of race continue to influence our communities, nation, and world, the legal profession will be charged with leading future discussions on how prejudice and bias affect our clients. Unfortunately, as legal professionals, we still struggle with the question of whether to talk about race in voir dire. This essay discusses our obligation as judges, academics, and practitioners to understand how …