• Can be used to draw members of the community into participative processes where the community is distanced from the decision-making process or a process is not seen as being democratic.
• Strives to improve representation in participative processes by engaging a cross section of the community in the jury.
• Can be used to moderate divergence and provide a transparent profcess for decision making.
• Provides a transparent participatory process which can be seen to be independent and credible.
• Provides a public democracy mechanism.
• Provides citizens with an opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the issue.
• Involves ordinary citizens.
• Pinpoints fatal flaws or gauges public reaction and opinion.(IAP2, 2001)