In the O. J. Simpson murder trial, as in the Scottsboro case, jurors were asked to go beyond the evidence in the interests of broader societal interests. The case illustrates the racial polarization of the country, demonstrated in the courtroom as it often is in the urban classroom. (SLD)

Jury verdicts in recent high-profile cases, including the O. J. Simpson murder trial, have been controversial. Suggestions are offered for reform of jury trials to lessen the impact of societal stereotypes and public opinion. Among these suggestions are to eliminate or restrict peremptory juror challenges and rewrite and clarify instructions to…

In this speech, given at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Education on April 22, 2005, Professor Payne discusses the complexity of race relations in the Chicago School System. He begins by defining the racial baggage carried by both white and black individuals in the school system, and continues to address the following…

The prospects that current dropout interventions will succeed in reducing dropout behavior are explored using the following sources: (1) the literature on school dropouts; (2) experience in working with policymakers; and (3) a general perspective on the policy process advanced by political scientists. School dropouts are currently the focus of a…