Citizen juries: reflections on the UK experience

Citizens' Juries have become a popular aspect of public participation for both policy members and community members. This article gives an overview of the approach towards citizens' juries in the UK. It describes the general features of citizen juries. The authors then examine two case studies of Citizens' Juries from Scotland. One was convened to look at drug policy, focusing on improving the quality of life for people affected by drugs. The second group were asked to examine ways of encouraging participation by local people in the communities. The authors discuss the very different experiences of the two Citizens' Juries and draw some conclusions and lessons from these experiences, noting the need for local ownership, a need for commitment and accountability by local policy makers and the importance in choosing a suitable subject for discussion.