Jurors return home with no mental health support, NPR reports
Philadelphia jury commissioner Patrick Martin is trying to change the lack of mental health support for jurors after they complete service on criminal cases, according to NPR reporting published September 8, 2026.
NPR’s account reported that many jurors spend weeks hearing and seeing horrific details from criminal cases and then return home with no mental health support afterward. Martin “is trying to change that,” according to the network.
The story credited reporter Michelle Aslam as the lead journalist, with additional reporting attributed to Sacha Pfeiffer and Matt Ozug. NPR’s metadata categorized the piece under its health coverage.
The reporting focused on what happens to jurors after their service ends: that they typically have no mental health support afterward, NPR said.
NPR’s published account did not detail the specific design of the programs Martin is pursuing, his funding strategy, or a timeline for implementation.
The network appended its standard editorial disclosure to the piece, stating that NPR does not offer or accept payment in exchange for coverage or interviews and that anyone making such an offer or request is not an NPR employee.