Fewer than half attend jury duty

More than 750 people were excused or deferred from jury duty at Bunbury’s courthouse in the past financial year.

According to statistics from the Department of the Attorney General, of the 1792 people Bunbury courthouse summoned last year, 24 per cent were excused, 19 per cent deferred and 45 per cent actually attended.

In 2011-12, 2560 people were summoned with 26 per cent excused and 21 per cent deferred.

The State’s statistics matched this trend, with 27 per cent excused and 21 per cent deferred — which was down from 72 per cent of people excused in 2010-11.

According to a department spokeswoman, this year’s data was inconclusive because some trials were changed or no longer required.

However, since the new legislation came into effect in 2011, less people had shirked their responsibility because the changes created a far more flexible system where people were now allowed to defer.

More than 80 fines were issued at the Bunbury courthouse over the issue last year, with the penalty for failing to attend worth $800.

She said the new penalty forced people to contribute and take their responsibility seriously.

“The overall outcome has been a higher attendance rate,” she said.

“The other aspect is that a broader spectrum of the community participates in jury service, contributing to a fairer system because it is more representative of our community.

“The jury system is an integral component of our justice system to serve the community.”

The department received positive feedback from attendees, who said it allowed them to understand their role in the system better.

The spokeswoman said people should not be afraid of jury duty responsibilities.

“Definitely contact the summoning officer if you have any issues relating to serving, but do not ignore the summons,” she said.

“The best outcome would be for everyone to do their bit and the changes certainly go a long way to reaching that goal.”