If a jury convenes to decide on a verdict and sentence in a criminal trial and every juror thinks the defendant is guilty from the start of the deliberation, they are likely to decide on a harsher sentence for the defendant as a group than if they were individually asked to determine the sentence.

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This is known as group polarization in which the group tends to make more extreme decisions than individuals would make alone. If all jurors already believe the defendant is guilty, they are more likely to make a harsher decision when discussing as a group.

If a Jury Convenes to Decide on a Verdict and Sentence