Welcome to the Courtroom Wellbeing Hub

The Courtroom Wellbeing Hub is the place to find discover the latest research, practice and policy relating to creating trauma-informed courtrooms. We are a research team of psychologists based at Manchester Metropolitan University working with academics, practitioners and those with lived juror experience nationally and internationally.

Our aim is to increase our understandings of the impact court settings can have on wellbeing, and support the development of trauma-informed courtroom practices.

Juror Appreciation Week 2025

Dr Hannah Fawcett and Dr Matt Brooks are pioneering Jury Duty Appreciation Week, which runs from 5th – 11th May 2025, to thank jurors for their important work, raise the profile of jury duty, and encourage the provision of specialist support.

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Have you been a juror on a child sexual abuse trial?

If so, you are invited to participate in a study regarding the experience of members of the public called to do jury service, who find themselves sitting on a trial examining allegations of child sexual abuse being conducted by PhD student Stephen Hanvey. It is not about the experience of child sexual abuse itself or asking about your or anybody’s personal hurt. The study is concerned with jurors’ thoughts and feelings about these particular trials, whether the allegations tried were recently made and brought by children, or from years ago, so brought by adults.

Please help improve the experience for others through this innovative study https://southampton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7NEt2ihAo9Wy1sW

Emotional impact during jury duty to be explored in research – BBC News

First paper on juror wellbeing published

We published our first paper on juror wellbeing in late December 2024. This particular study focused on prior trauma and mental health characteristics of 180 jurors and how these influenced responses to distressing evidence presented in a mock trial.

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The psychology of jury service

Dr. Hannah Fawcett and Dr. Matt Brooks discuss the psychological impact of participating in jury duty and the need for wellbeing support for jurors in The Trial podcast.

Listen here