AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies Paper 2, June 2025: Question 9
9 marks · Medium difficulty · Extended Response
Identify the number of jurors in a Crown Court trial and evaluate whether jury service should be abolished in the UK.
Practise this questionQuestion
Question text
09.1 How many citizens are selected for a jury in a Crown Court trial in England?
[1 mark]
Shade in the one correct answer.
A 3
B 12
C 15
D 19
09.2 ‘We should abolish jury service in the UK.’
Considering a range of views, to what extent do you agree or disagree with this
statement?
[8 marks]
Extra space
Mark scheme
Show the mark scheme
Total
Qu Part Marking guidance
marks
09 1 How many citizens are selected for a jury in a Crown Court trial in 1
England?
Correct response: B 12
AO1 = 1
Total
Qu Part Marking guidance
marks
09 2 ‘We should abolish jury service in the UK.’ 8
Considering a range of views, to what extent do you agree or
disagree with this statement?
Level Marks Descriptor
Developed and sustained analysis of a wide range
of evidence and views related to the citizenship
debate.
4 7–8 Developed and reasoned justifications are given
which relate to the evidence provided.
The justifications put forward form a coherent
argument.
Analysis of a range of evidence and views related
to the citizenship debate.
The evidence is used to support arguments but
3 5–6 these arguments are not always completely
developed, justified or evaluated.
Conclusions drawn from the arguments may not be
completely coherent.
Basic analysis of a limited range of evidence and
views related to the citizenship debate.
Weak arguments are made which are not
2 3–4 necessarily related to the evidence selected.
The arguments represent only a limited range of
viewpoints.
Some attempt is made to integrate the arguments
into concluding remarks.
Limited evidence presented and/or evidence
presented is not directly related to the citizenship
debate.
Insufficient range of differing viewpoints
1 1–2 considered.
Little or no attempt is made to analyse or evaluate
the evidence presented.
Little or no attempt is made to integrate the points
made.
00 Nothing to credit.
Indicative content
Points which may be included to agree with this statement
• People who are educated in law are better placed to make these
decisions, especially in complex cases.
• We can do more hearings per day if we do not have juries, this will
strengthen our court system as there won’t be long delays.
• Jury service can be really expensive to run. We should save money by
abolishing them and spend it on the police. That will prevent people
from reaching court as it is a preventative measure.
20 • People have to take time off work to do jury service. If we abolished it,
it would mean teachers, doctors and other critical workers are able to
stay at work rather than missing work.
Points which may be included to disagree with this statement
• Since the Magna Carta, the rights of a citizen include the right to be
tried by your peers. Therefore, it is the most important civic duty a
person can undertake as it was secured long ago.
• Our justice system depends on people hearing the case and providing
an impartial opinion. Free and fair trials depend on this civic action.
• Juries are made up of 12 people, no one person has all the power to
decide someone’s fate. These people are randomly selected so that no
one group of people or person holds power over another.
• Juries are normally diverse. This means they represent different
cultures and beliefs. This ensures that a person is given a fair hearing
and their different views are accounted for. Not everyone in a
courtroom is diverse but juries are so they should be kept.
AO3 = 8
How to answer it
Crown Court Juries & The Jury Service Debate
Core Assessment Objectives: AO1 (Knowledge & Understanding) and AO3 (Analysis & Evaluation)
- Factual recall: The composition and size of a jury in the English Crown Court.
- Critical debate (AO3): Evaluating the effectiveness of jury service versus alternative forms of trial (e.g. single judge or judge-led panels).
- Structuring an extended answer: Providing a balanced, reasoned argument with specific evidence, counter-arguments, and a supported conclusion.
Jury Size in Crown Court Trials
Multiple Choice Recall
✅ Correct Answer
B: 12
In England and Wales, exactly 12 citizens are sworn in to sit on a Crown Court jury.
💡 Key Knowledge
- Crown Court: Deals with serious ("indictable") criminal offences (e.g. murder, robbery).
- Role of the Jury: Decides the verdict (guilty or not guilty based on facts).
- Role of the Judge: Decides points of law and passes the sentence.
❌ Common Errors & Traps
- Choosing 3: Confusing a jury with the bench of 3 lay magistrates who sit in a Magistrates' Court.
- Choosing 15: Confusing the English system with Scotland, where criminal juries have 15 members.
Debate: "We should abolish jury service in the UK."
Extended Response & Evaluation
🧠 Exam Technique: Level 4 Strategy (7–8 Marks)
- Balanced Argument: Present at least two well-developed points supporting abolition (agree) and two supporting retention (disagree).
- Use Citizenship Terminology: Include concepts such as Magna Carta, trial by peers, civic duty, case backlog, and impartiality.
- Justified Conclusion: Directly answer "to what extent". State clearly whether the system should be kept, reformed, or abolished, and justify why one side outweighs the other.
📐 Mark Scheme Levels (AO3)
| Level | Marks | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Level 4 | 7–8 | Developed & sustained analysis; reasoned justifications linked to evidence; coherent overall argument. |
| Level 3 | 5–6 | Analysis of a range of views; supported by evidence, but arguments or conclusions not fully developed. |
| Level 1–2 | 1–4 | Limited or basic points; one-sided or purely descriptive list of facts. |
👍 Arguments to AGREE (Abolish Jury Service)
- Lack of Legal Expertise: Everyday citizens may struggle to understand complex evidence, such as financial fraud or forensic science, leading to miscarriages of justice. Trained judges or expert panels are better qualified.
- Cost & Court Backlogs: Selecting and managing juries takes time, slowing down court procedures. Abolishing them could reduce trial lengths, clear huge backlogs, and save public funds for front-line policing.
- Disruption to Public Services & Economy: Mandatory service pulls key workers (e.g. NHS doctors, nurses, teachers) away from vital roles, creating economic inefficiency and staffing issues.
- Risk of Bias & Media Influence: Despite judicial warnings, jurors can be influenced by social media, unconscious prejudices, or emotional rhetoric rather than strictly legal evidence.
👎 Arguments to DISAGREE (Retain Jury Service)
- Democratic Right & "Trial by Peers": An ancient cornerstone of the British justice system (Magna Carta, 1215). It ensures citizens are judged by ordinary people, preventing state oppression.
- Diversity & Representation: 12 randomly selected individuals bring diverse life experiences, cultures, and viewpoints, creating a fairer reflection of society than a single, often privileged judge.
- Checks on Power: Power does not rest with a single individual. The collective consensus of 12 people reduces corruption and personal prejudice in determining guilt.
- Public Trust in Justice: Active civic participation fosters public confidence in the legal system; justice is seen to be administered openly by the community, for the community.
📝 How to Write a Top-Band Answer (Suggested Structure)
- Introduction: Define jury service (12 randomly selected citizens in Crown Court) and acknowledge this is a debate balancing civic representation against judicial efficiency.
- Paragraph 1 (Agree): Discuss complexity and efficiency. Explain how long, technical trials confuse laypeople, cost millions, and increase case backlogs.
- Paragraph 2 (Disagree): Counter with democratic legitimacy and Magna Carta. Explain why 12 diverse peers safeguard individual liberty against state bias better than an establishment judge.
- Paragraph 3 (Weighing Up/Alternatives): Mention potential compromises (e.g., keeping juries for violent crimes but using expert judges for complex corporate fraud).
- Conclusion: Give a clear verdict (e.g., "Although jury trials can be slow and costly, jury service should not be abolished because the principle of trial by peers is essential to maintaining public trust and protecting democracy.").
❌ Common Examiner Criticisms in 8-Mark Answers
- One-sided responses: Writing only about why juries are good guarantees a cap at Level 2 (maximum 4 marks).
- No conclusion: Simply stopping after giving pros and cons means you have not evaluated "to what extent" you agree.
- Vague claims: Saying "juries are bad because they aren't smart" without explaining why (e.g. inability to interpret complex fraud or forensic evidence).
Topics
3.1 Citizenship skills, processes and methods · 3.3 Rights and responsibilities · 3.1 Citizenship skills, processes and methods · 3.3.2 What are a citizen's rights and responsibilities within the legal system? · 3.3.5 How do citizens play a part to bring about change in the legal system?
Question and mark scheme from the AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies examination, Paper 2, June 2025. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.