Jury pool data plan: Diversity aid or ‘big brother’?
taking immediate action.
Attorneys who support the measure say minorities are woefully underrepresented on juries, and this creates due process concerns, because defendants are supposed to be tried by a jury of their peers. They said a broader net of potential jurors is needed to reflect the demographic makeup of the state or individual counties.
“I find it sad, in fact, that in Clark County, which is probably the most diverse county in the state, that we have this ongoing problem,” said Lisa Rasmussen, a lawyer who represents Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
The measure has attracted concerns from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation about preserving its confidential data and the potential impact on people claiming unemployment who have a long-term jury assignment.
To qualify for unemployment, an individual has to be seeking work and readily available to start a job, said Renee Olson, administrator of the Employment Security Division. The division is seeking to be taken out of the bill.
Assemblyman Ira Hansen raised concerns that the proposal is targeting people for jury service.
“Why is big brother always trying to force everybody to vote or be in a jury when a certain percentage of people flat out want to be left alone?” the Sparks Republican said. Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.