Investigating the Use of Intercultural Communication in Addressing Racism During Jury Selection Processes in Trials

Racial prejudice during the selection of jurors continues to impair the impartiality and fairness of the legal system, with far-reaching effects on judicial decisions as well as public confidence. Though legal reforms like Batson v. Kentucky have sought to de-emphasize explicit discrimination, unconscious racial prejudices remain, frequently unalleviated by conventional legal systems. This research examines how intercultural communication approaches based on communication theories of framing theory, narrative persuasion, and critical discourse analysis can help address systemic racial differences in jury formation proceedings. Through redefining the problem from a legal perspective to a communication-oriented research inquiry, this research addresses how juror decision-making is shaped by cultural stories, cognitive biases, and mediation representation of race and justice. Following a qualitative approach, the current research utilizes a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that adheres to the PRISMA guidelines. The 50 identified studies yielded eight that qualified and were included based on inclusion criteria and analyzed via thematic analysis. The results identify three main themes: (1) the persistent persistence of racial discrimination in jury formation throughout jurisdictions; (2) the contribution of intercultural communication to providing culturally competent juridical atmospheres; and (3) the effect of structural reforms, which include intercultural training and diverse compositions of juries, to induce fairness. Moreover, this research compares global outlook, examining jury selection procedures and communication-oriented interventions within Europe, South America, and Asia. The implications support institutional incorporation of intercultural communication tactics towards countering racial bias and increasing the legitimacy of legal decision-making world-wide.