Disparity Methods

A disparity method is a statistical test to help determine if a venire is a fair cross-section of the county from which it was drawn. It helps to determine if there has been a violation of the Sixth Amendment fair cross-section requirement.

For more details on these methods, see this article by Colleen P. Fitzharris

Absolute Disparity

The difference between the racial group’s proportion in the county population, and the racial group's proportion in the jury pool.

Comparative Disparity

The percentage of eligible jurors from the racial group that were excluded from the jury pool. Only meaningful when the racial group makes up between 10% and 20% of the county population.

Disparity of Risk

The difference between the chances of getting a representative jury from a representative pool, and the chances of getting a representative jury from the current pool.