New Jersey bars people with indictable offenses from serving on juries for life.

This barrier prevents an estimated 438,000 to 533,000 of the overall population of the state from serving on juries, about 7-8% of the overall population of the state. As New Jersey has the worst Black to white racial disparity in incarceration in the country, this bar disproportionately affects Black people. An estimated 219,000 to 269,000 of the Black population in New Jersey is impacted by this bar – a staggering 23- 29%.14 Barring people with criminal convictions from serving on juries perpetuates and exacerbates the racial disparities in the criminal justice system and in civic participation in Black communities.Read More…