What Hollywood, U.S.A. Teaches Europe about Juries and Citizenship

European countries now face the challenge of integrating new citizens into their society. A number of European countries are also grappling with how best to include lay participants in the criminal justice system. Countries that have or are considering a traditional jury system have a means of bringing citizens together to learn how to be good citizens. American jury films, which are influential in the United States and Europe, illustrate how jurors learn traits necessary for good citizenship. The most famous American jury film, 12 Angry Men, shows how a group of men, drawn from a variety of backgrounds, social classes, and experiences, are brought together to reach a unanimous verdict in a case involving a young man of Puerto Rican descent, charged with killing his father. During deliberations, the jurors (and audience) learn the importance of working together to understand the facts, to interpret the evidence, and to reach consensus. When one juror is blinded by prejudice toward Puerto Ricans, the other jurors point this out. When another juror cares only about attending a baseball game, he is chastised for his misplaced values. Other jury films teach jurors the importance of stating their views, voting according to conscience, and resisting peer pressure. This paper will examine how American jury films, with their wide reach in the United States and Europe, make the case for the jury as a vehicle that brings together citizens from all walks of life and teaches them how to be good jurors and good citizens.