Data

General Issues
Education
Specific Topics
Elementary & Secondary Education
Child Care
Collections
The POLITICIZE Project on Deliberative Mini-Publics (DMPs) in Europe
Location
United Kingdom
Scope of Influence
National
Components of this Case
Gordon Brown’s Citizens’ Juries in the UK: Crime
Gordon Brown’s Citizens’ Juries in the UK: National Health Service
Links
The POLITICIZE Dataset of 105 Deliberative Mini-Publics (DMPs) in Europe, 2000–2020
The POLITICIZE Project
Brown defends new citizen juries
Citizens’ Juries
Start Date
End Date
Ongoing
No
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Develop the civic capacities of individuals, communities, and/or civil society organizations
Approach
Consultation
Spectrum of Public Participation
Consult
Total Number of Participants
100
Open to All or Limited to Some?
Limited to Only Some Groups or Individuals
Recruitment Method for Limited Subset of Population
Stratified Random Sample
General Types of Methods
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Recruit or select participants
Propose and/or develop policies, ideas, and recommendations
Specific Methods, Tools & Techniques
Deliberation
Civic Lottery
Sortition
Citizens' Jury
Deliberative Forum
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Face-to-Face
Types of Interaction Among Participants
Discussion, Dialogue, or Deliberation
Ask & Answer Questions
Listen/Watch as Spectator
Information & Learning Resources
Expert Presentations
Communication of Insights & Outcomes
Public Report
Type of Organizer/Manager
National Government
For-Profit Business
Type of Funder
National Government
Evidence of Impact
Yes
Types of Change
Changes in people’s knowledge, attitudes, and behavior

CASE

Gordon Brown’s Citizens’ Juries in the UK: Children & Families

April 8, 2021 Jaskiran Gakhal, Participedia Team
March 24, 2021 Joyce Chen
General Issues
Education
Specific Topics
Elementary & Secondary Education
Child Care
Collections
The POLITICIZE Project on Deliberative Mini-Publics (DMPs) in Europe
Location
United Kingdom
Scope of Influence
National
Components of this Case
Gordon Brown’s Citizens’ Juries in the UK: Crime
Gordon Brown’s Citizens’ Juries in the UK: National Health Service
Links
The POLITICIZE Dataset of 105 Deliberative Mini-Publics (DMPs) in Europe, 2000–2020
The POLITICIZE Project
Brown defends new citizen juries
Citizens’ Juries
Start Date
End Date
Ongoing
No
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Develop the civic capacities of individuals, communities, and/or civil society organizations
Approach
Consultation
Spectrum of Public Participation
Consult
Total Number of Participants
100
Open to All or Limited to Some?
Limited to Only Some Groups or Individuals
Recruitment Method for Limited Subset of Population
Stratified Random Sample
General Types of Methods
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Recruit or select participants
Propose and/or develop policies, ideas, and recommendations
Specific Methods, Tools & Techniques
Deliberation
Civic Lottery
Sortition
Citizens' Jury
Deliberative Forum
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Face-to-Face
Types of Interaction Among Participants
Discussion, Dialogue, or Deliberation
Ask & Answer Questions
Listen/Watch as Spectator
Information & Learning Resources
Expert Presentations
Communication of Insights & Outcomes
Public Report
Type of Organizer/Manager
National Government
For-Profit Business
Type of Funder
National Government
Evidence of Impact
Yes
Types of Change
Changes in people’s knowledge, attitudes, and behavior

This Citizens' Jury on Children & Families was part of UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown's proposal for the use of citizens' juries. Five were conducted by the Department for Children, Schools and Families; this specific jury met in Bristol.

Problems and Purpose

Five citizens’ juries were conducted by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The first jury met in Bristol on 6 September 2007 at a cost of £57,074.25 Citizens juries also have been held in London, Leeds, Portsmouth, and Birmingham. The cost of these four juries totalled £467,704. All five events were organised by Opinion Leader Research. The Department have stated that these events “took the form of deliberative forums”.

Background History and Context

In a speech on September 3, 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced his proposal for an immediate use of citizen’s juries. Various were organized by Opinion Leader Research, in different locations and on different issues.

Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities

Opinion Leader Research was hired to set up and run the juries, conducted by the Department for Children, Schools, and Families.

Participant Recruitment and Selection

These juries were composed of a small number of citizens (around 20) selected by a stratified random selection process to ensure a diversity of demographic criteria (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, etc.).

Methods and Tools Used

Citizens' Jury

What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation

Participants gather to deliberate over one day. Citizens heard evidence, cross-examined selected experts and deliberated on the question(s). At the end of the process, citizens produced recommendations in the form of a report; the sponsoring body (e.g. the public authority) is expected to respond to the recommendations.

Influence, Outcomes, and Effects

It is not clear how the recommendations or learnings were transmitted to decision makers. Some critics suggested that the juries were merely a publicity stunt; however, Brown disagreed, noting that his views had been swayed on several issues due to the recommendations of citizens’ juries. Though PM Brown claimed the citizens juries influenced his decisions, there is nothing to show that this translated into any legislation that was passed.

Analysis and Lessons Learned

Want to contribute an analysis of this initiative? Help us complete this section!

See Also

Gordon Brown’s Citizens’ Juries in the UK: Crime

Gordon Brown’s Citizens’ Juries in the UK: National Health Service

References

[1] Paulis, Emilien; Pilet, Jean-Benoit; Panel, Sophie; Vittori, Davide; Close, Caroline, 2020, "POLITICIZE Dataset", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/Z7X6GT, Harvard Dataverse, V1

External Links

Notes

This entry is based on the POLITICIZE dataset. More information can be found at the following links:

  • Paulis, Emilien; Pilet, Jean-Benoit; Panel, Sophie; Vittori, Davide; Close, Caroline, 2020, "POLITICIZE Dataset", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/Z7X6GT, Harvard Dataverse, V1
  • Pilet J-B, Paulis E, Panel S., Vitori D & Close C. 202X The POLITICIZE Dataset: an inventory of Deliberative Mini-Publics (DMPs) in Europe. European Political Science.